The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has urged the residents of the territory to be vigilant and report suspicious activities ahead of the 2024 Independence Day celebration.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT,  SP Josephine Adeh, made the call in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

She urged the residents to take advantage of the command’s emergency lines: 08032003913, 08028940883, 08061581938 and 07057337653 to report suspicious activities in their surroundings.

Adeh said the command had strategically deployed adequate personnel and equipment throughout the FCT ahead of the celebration.

She said the deployment was to ensure a hitch-free Independence Day celebration in the territory.

According to her,  the deployment will include Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) personnel, anti-riot equipment, and visibility policing, among others.

She said traffic diversions would be implemented in areas expected to experience large crowds, including Central Area and Eagle Square.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says the troops of Operation Delta Safe destroyed 897 illegal refining sites across the Niger Delta region in the third quarter of the year.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this known while briefing newsmen on the operations of the armed forces, on Thursday in Abuja.

Buba said the troops also destroyed 370 wooden boats and recovered 48 assorted weapons and 672 assorted ammunitions during the period.

He said the troops also apprehended 447 persons involved in crude oil theft and rescued 48 kidnapped hostages as well as recovered 12.1 million litres of stolen crude oil; 2.6 million litres of AGO; 6,970 litres of DPK and 31,450 litres of PMS.

According to him, troops of Operation Delta Safe maintained the momentum against the activities of crude oil theft during the third quarter of the year.

“The air component conducted air interdictions on several illegal crude oil refining sites during the period, destroying over 100 of such sites, boats, vehicles among other equipment,” he said.

In the South East, Buba said troops of Operation UDO ΚΑ, neutralised 180 combatants, apprehended 354 IPOB/ESN criminals and rescued 148 kidnapped hostages.

He said the troops recovered 28 AK47 rifles, 44 pump action guns, 58 assorted arms, and 3,456 rounds of 7.62mm special, among others.

According to him, troops apprehended high-profile members of IPOB/ESN  at Agwu Local Government Area of Enugu State and several others who he said were assisting in an ongoing investigation.

Buba said the ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations across the country had prioritised the killing of terrorist leadership and the destruction of terror infrastructure.

UNGA79: Nigeria demands UN Security Council seat

Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, says Nigeria has earned the right to become a member of the UN Security Council after contributing to 41 peacekeeping missions, deploying over 200,000 troops.

Badaru said this in his address at the Summit of the Future interactive dialogue 2, titled: “Enhancing Multilateralism for International Peace and Security,” on Sunday in NewYork, US.

The summit is part of the events at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Badaru, who also spoke with State House correspondents at the Nigerian House in New York, said Nigeria had a longstanding commitment to international peace and security.

“Since our first deployment in the Congo in 1960, Nigeria has contributed to 41 peacekeeping missions globally,” he stated, highlighting the deployment of over 200,000 Nigerian troops in UN operations.

Badaru called for reform of the UN Security Council to ensure Africa was represented with permanent seats, arguing that this would enhance global stability.

“Nigeria has remained unequivocal in its commitment to international peacebuilding and security, since the first engagement of its troops in the Congo in 1960.

“To date, Nigeria has contributed to 41 peacekeeping operations worldwide, with over two hundred thousand Nigerian troops serving in UN peacekeeping missions,” he said.

According to the minister, under the regional and sub-regional cooperation, Nigeria has been involved in peacekeeping operations in field missions in several countries.

He said the countries included Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Sudan and Sierra Leone, among others.

He said Nigeria had contributed a lot in terms of finance, logistics, troops and civilian experts, making it one of the most significant African troops and police contributors to the United Nations missions.

“It is on this basis that Nigeria continues to call for the reform of the United Nations Security Council to give just representation to Africa on a permanent basis for inclusivity and deepening of global peace and security,” he said.

The Defence Minister stressed the importance of building professional African armies to combat terrorism and called for the operationalisation of the African Standby Force.

He also highlighted the need for comprehensive strategies to tackle transnational crime and illegal arms trafficking, particularly in the Sahel region.