CRIME
1,773 CJTF Operatives Die Fighting Terrorists
No fewer than 1,773 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) have died while fighting Boko Haram and Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists in the North East Zone.
The Chairman of CJTF, Babashehu Abdulganiu, made this known on Saturday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.
Abdulganiu said CJTF operatives paid the supreme price while fighting terrorists along with the military in their enclaves in Sambisa Forest and the LakeChad area.
He said that some died repelling attacks on Maiduguri while others sacrificed their lives by hugging suicide bombers during attempts to attack innocent people.
Abdulganiu said the deaths were recorded between 2012 and 2022, adding that in spite of the high casualty figure, CJTF remained resolute in its determination to support the military in riding the state of terrorists.
According to him, the group which is now backed by law, started out of necessity to stamp out bad elements who usually cause havoc within Maiduguri metropolis
“It started in 2012 when our youths picked up sticks and said no more Boko Haram and we successfully pushed the terrorist group out of Maiduguri to their enclaves in Sambisa Forest andLake Chad.
“In 2015, the Borno Dtate Government established the Borno Youths Empowerment Scheme(BOYES), where the 23,000 Civilian Joint Task Force members were enlisted as security vanguards, trained by military and screened by the Department of State Security.
“During the screening exercises, those involved in drug abuses or criminality or those that were convicted before were screened out.
” This was to make sure that we do not recruit bad eggs into our midst.
“We adopted military like structures that were existing as Sectors.
” So we deployed our men to occupy the checkpoints from Sector 1 to Sector 10,” he said
He said that the establishment of BOYES whose members were paid monthly allowances, helped in stamping out youth restiveness and unemployment as well as reduced minor crimes in Maiduguri.
“The Borno state government is spending N150 million monthly to provide allowances of the CJTF.
” They also provided us vehicles, working tools and even light weapons,” he said.
Abdulganiu said the Borno government also recruited additional 2,700 neighbourhood watch vanguards that were trained by the Nigerian police and paid N20,000 as allowances in order to compliment efforts of the security agencies in combating crimes.
“Unlike the CJTF, which is attached to the Nigerian military, the Neighborhood Watch is embedded in the society to report local crimes.
” They are also attached to various village and district heads for information and intelligence gathering and sharing.
“On the welfare of the slain CJTF families, the Borno Government has committed N300 million to support the education of of 300 orphans of 300 CJTF members.
NAN reports that each of the families recieved N1million to send their children to schools of their choice.
“We have also supported 50 of our youths to acquire degrees and diplomas in tertiary institutions across the country.
“Also, NEEM foundation, an International Non Govern mental Organization are supporting 60 of the orphans left behind by the CJTF.
“The out-going Theartre Commander Operation Hadin Kai, Maj. Gen. Christopher Musa, also supported 300 families drawn across the 27 LGAs with food and other relief materials while some of our members were also recruited into the Nigerian Army,” he said.
He said that the CJTF operatives were trained on mainstreaming human rights into their operations while their code of conduct was guided by international best practices.(NAN)
A Kaduna Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday sentenced a 39-year-old travel agent, Adebayo Oyeronke, to four years imprisonment over a N6.2 million visa fraud.
Oyeronke had pleaded guilty to the charges of fraud and theft.
Delivering judgment, Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel, held that Oyeronke was guilty of defrauding Rita Francis and four others of the sum of N6.
2 million.Emmanuel who did not give the convict an option of fine, ordered him to pay N2 million each as compensation to the victims.
The magistrate also ordered him to undertake an affidavit of good conduct, pledging never to engage in any criminal or corrupt activities again.
Earlier, the prosecution Insp.
Chidi Leo told the court that the convict committed the offences between December 2024 and April 2025 at Barnawa Kaduna.Leo said that the defendant collected N6.2 million from the complainants; Rita Francis, Mohammed Sadiq, Christian Baba, Williams Abiodun and Nathan Victor, with a promise to get them Polish visa.
He said after the convict collected the money, he absconded to an unknown destination until he was arrested on May 15.
The prosecutor said the offences contravened the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017. (NAN)
A 31-year-old woman, Opeyemi Bakare, on Tuesday appeared before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing an iPhone valued at N500,000.
Bakare, of undisclosed address, was charged with two counts of conspiracy and stealing .
The prosecutor, Insp Iyabo Oladoyin, told the court that the defendant and others at large conspired and committed the offences on May 2 at 3.
30 p. m. in the Dugbe area of Ibadan.According to Oladoyin, the defendant stole an iPhone 12 valued at N505,000, belonging to the complainant, Mr Oluseyi Oba.
The prosecutor said the phone was stolen in Dugbe Market and was tracked to the defendant.
She said the offences contravened Sections 390 (9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Magistrate, Mrs T.G. Daodu, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of one million naira with two sureties in like sum.
Daodu thereafter adjourned the case until July 8 for hearing. (NAN)
A 31-year-old woman, Opeyemi Bakare, on Tuesday appeared before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing an iPhone valued at N500,000.
Bakare, of undisclosed address, was charged with two counts of conspiracy and stealing .
The prosecutor, Insp Iyabo Oladoyin, told the court that the defendant and others at large conspired and committed the offences on May 2 at 3.30 p.m. in the Dugbe area of Ibadan.
According to Oladoyin, the defendant stole an iPhone 12 valued at N505,000, belonging to the complainant, Mr Oluseyi Oba.
The prosecutor said the phone was stolen in Dugbe Market and was tracked to the defendant.
She said the offences contravened Sections 390 (9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Magistrate, Mrs T.G. Daodu, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of one million naira with two sureties in like sum.
Daodu thereafter adjourned the case until July 8 for hearing. (NAN)
A 40 – year old prostitute, Adeosun Adepeju was on Tuesday arraigned before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stabbing her colleague in the stomach during work period.
Adepeju of undisclosed address was standing trial on a count charge bordering on assault.
She pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Prosecuting Counsel, Cpl.
Helen Ojo told the court that Adepeju on May 21, at about 12:30 a.m., at Ring road area, Ibadan, stabbed her colleague, Stella Mago with scissors in her stomach.Ojo said that the stabbing caused the complainant bodily harm.
She added that the offence contravened Section 335 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000.
The Magistrate, Mrs M. M. Olagbenro admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N300, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Olagbenro adjourned the matter until May 30, for hearing. (NAN)
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