₦airaland Forum

Adnan Abou Walid al Sahraoui, leader of the terrorist group Islamic State in the Greater Sahara was neutralized by French forces. This is another major success in our fight against terrorist groups in the Sahel.

The Nation is thinking this evening of all its heroes who died for France in the Sahel in the Serval and Barkhane operations, of the bereaved families, of all of its wounded. Their sacrifice is not in vain. With our African, European and American partners, we will continue this fight.

Islamic State: France says it has killed Adnan Abu Walid al Sahrawi, the terror group's leader in the Greater Sahara

The US had offered a reward of up to $5m (£3.6m) for information leading to his location.

An Islamic State leader in the Sahara has been killed by the French military.

President Emmanuel Macron said Adnan Abu Walid al Sahrawi's death was "a major success".

Al Sahrawi was the leader of IS in the Greater Sahara, and had previously claimed to be behind terror attacks in the region.


Mr Macron said in a post on Twitter: "The nation is thinking tonight of all its heroes who died for France in the Sahel in the Serval and Barkhane operations, of the bereaved families, of all of its wounded.

"Their sacrifice is not in vain.

"With our African, European and American partners, we will continue this fight."


France has been operating in the Sahel - the strip of Africa between the Sahara running east to west - since 2013.

It is particularly active in the areas in which it was a colonial power.

The UK has provided support to the French-led operation - including 300 troops being sent to Mali at the end of last year.

There were concerns the withdrawal of Western powers from Afghanistan may lead to an emboldening of Islamists in Africa.


Al Sahrawi had said he was behind a terror attack in 2017 in Niger that killed four US military members and four Niger service personnel.

France said that, in August 2020, al Sahrawi ordered the execution of six French charity workers and their Nigerien driver.

The US had offered a reward of up to $5m (£3.6m) for information leading to his location.

Al Sahrawi was born in the disputed Western Sahara region, and later joined the Polisario Front before travelling to Algeria and Mali.

He then joined a group called MUJAO, which worked for the local al Qaeda affiliate.

In 2015, Al Sahrawi pledged allegiance to IS in Iraq and Syria.

The death comes as Salah Abdeslam goes on trial in France for the 2015 Paris terror attacks.

He said the killings were "nothing personal" and were carried out in response to French airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.

naptu2:
People like me often criticise the NFF for not organising friendlies for the Super Falcons and for mismanaging the team. On two occasions the team has gone an entire year without playing a single match or even camping together, yet people will expect them to do well at the World Cup where they are competing against well prepared sides.


In response to the criticism, the NFF has started ensuring that the Falcons take part in competitions like the Cyprus Cup, the Turkish Cup and the US Summer Series. The NFF has also gone to look for sponsors in order to organise games for the Falcons at home.

The Falcons are going to play a Nations Cup qualifying series against Ghana later this year. CAF made a horrible decision which has resulted in two of Africa's best sides playing against each other in the qualifiers. This just might be the most difficult Nations Cup qualifying series that the Falcons have ever played. This games are therefore warm up games to prepare the Falcons for the series. It will be a horrible disaster if they fail to qualify.

naptu2:
How Boko Haram captured the Nigerian Navy Base on Lake Chad


The Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force have been a big problem for Boko Haram. The Air Force regularly bombs Boko Haram locations and the Navy prevents them from getting one of the most important territories that they want to control.

Boko Haram attacked Maiduguri Airport/Air Force Base in 2013. Their aim was to damage the planes and helicopters and to prevent the Air Force from being able to attack them. They were chased away by the military. The Nigerian Air Force reorganised its ground regiment after that attack and trained and equipped them to be able to effectively carry out ground missions against the terrorists and to protect air bases.



The Nigerian Navy is a huge problem for Boko Haram. Boko Haram gets a lot of money from taxing fishermen on the Lake Chad and they establish their authority by determining who can fish on the lake and who can't. The people that live around the lake depend on it for their livelihood. Furthermore, Boko Haram terrorists usually flee to the islands on the lake for safety whenever the Nigerian Army puts a lot of pressure on them. The Nigerian Navy makes it very difficult for Boko Haram to control territory on the lake shore and it, in junction with the Air Force, launches raids on the islands on the lake. Therefore, Boko Haram want to get rid of the Naval Base on Lake Chad.

They captured the base for a few days in 2019 and they released a video that showed them rejoicing on the Navy's gunboats and it also showed an interrogation of captured navy personnel. The full video shows the execution of the captured navy personnel. Boko Haram also declared that they were going to create a navy using the captured gunboats of the Nigerian Navy.

It seems that YouTube has removed the Boko Haram video, but an edited version is still on Facebook.

This edited version (on Sahara Reporters' Facebook page) does not show the execution of the naval personnel, but all the other parts of the video are intact.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2370482336501108

The Nigerian Army drove the terrorists from the base after a few days.

Newton85:
I was shocked too bro. Everyone just like raising arguments where there should be none. It's very tiring.

JuanDeDios:
You're the one who has used the word "wrong", not me.

Imagine you have a Ph.D. in physics and you appear at a conference and say "I'm Naptu. I have a philosopher's degree in physics. Of course, you will get curious stares. Not because you're "wrong" but because you're VERBOSE to a degree that isn't even funny.

The other day, I read a newspaper article that began "Two Western Education is Bad (Boko Haram) members that were arrested by..." *sigh* I agree there's something to be said about style (that's my field after all), but if this is the style of Nigerian journalism, Nigerian journalism is VERBOSE.

No, FIFA is not referred to as "Federation ... " in very many places. They're just FIFA. Of course, you can call them by their original name if you're teaching primary four or writing on Wikipedia. My point is newsman's English doesn't work like that and journalists elsewhere don't. It's verbose.

JuanDeDios:
That was their original name. But can you show me a FIFA document or an article in Time magazine where it's spelt out that way? When last did you hear the BBC refer to itself at the British Broadcasting Corporation? Or BP refer to itself as British Petroleum? Only Nigerian newspapers do. If you don't get how full names are dropped and acronyms adopted (not all organizations do this, of course; for example, CNN is till Cable News Network) I won't respond further.

Younghacka:

So this stadium that looks like a division 3 team's training ground in UK is the best Nigeria has to host a tourney of this calibre.
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They even get mind invite Gianni Infantino, Just Negodu the disappointment on his face
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I Shame for who no shame for Nigeria

JuanDeDios:
Nigerian journalism is tiresome for its sheer verbosity. Who calls FIFA Fédération Internationale de Football Association ?!

naptu2:
The tournament is being organised by the Lagos State Government and the NFF as part of their agreement. It was simply named in honour of Aisha Buhari, but that does not mean that she's the organiser. It's the same as having a Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt, even though it was not built by, neither is it owned by Yakubu Gowon.

PICTURES: GOV. BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU, FIFA PRESIDENT INFANTINO AT OPENING OF THE AISHA BUHARI CUP AT MOBOLAJI JOHNSON ARENA STADIUM, ONIKAN, LAGOS, ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

PIX 1 L-R: Minister of Youth & Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, FIFA President Giovanni Infantino and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu during the opening of the Aisha Buhari Cup at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena Stadium, Onikan, Lagos, on Wednesday, September 15, 2021.

PIX 2-4 L-R: FIFA President, Giovanni Infantino, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Dr. Ibijoke during the opening of the Aisha Buhari Cup at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena Stadium, Onikan, Lagos, on Wednesday, September 15, 2021.

SANWO-OLU, FIFA PRESIDENT GRACE FOOTBALL PITCH AS AISHA BUHARI CUP KICKS OFF IN LAGOS

•Nigeria’s Super Falcons Trash Mali’s Team 2-0

Lagos State, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, became the cynosure of the global soccer lenses on Wednesday, as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was joined by the President of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, to attend the opening round of the maiden Aisha Buhari Women Cup.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons played against Mali’s Les Aiglonnes in the international tournament hosted by the Lagos State Government at Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Onikan.

President of Confederation of African Football (CAF), Mr. Patrice Motsepe, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick, and top FIFA officials joined in Infantino’s entourage to the stadium.

Also, Lagos First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and members of the Lagos State’s Executive Council stormed the stadium for the tournament.
The International friendly tournament, sponsored by MTN Nigeria and supported by Lagos State Government, was initiated to promote female football in Africa, gender equality and draw attention to development issues affecting women.

The first half of the opening match ended with a draw. However, 83 minutes into the second half, Super Falcons’ forward, Gift Monday, scored a goal, leaving the Malian side disoriented.

At 91 minutes into the added time, Monday again netted another goal, giving the Falcons victory over their opponents.

Six nations are participating in the contest, which will draw to a close on September 21. Other participants include South Africa, Morocco, Ghana, and Cameroon.

The tournament continues tomorrow (Thursday) with Cameroon’s Les Lionnes Indomptables slugging it out against Moroccan Atlas Lionesses.

SWDude:
You're not ready.

SWDude:
It seems you know better. You can as well tell me why the issue of flood disappeared last year only to appear again this year, rather show us plenty grin emoticons that explains everything. I'm not just talking from hearsay, I live in Isheri North.