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The Nigerian Army on Friday said soldiers who disappeared after a fierce encounter with Boko Haram insurgents at Gudumbali area of Borno State have rejoined their unit. The Army’s admission that the missing troops have rejoined their unit has further validated PREMIUM TIMES exclusive story that at least 105 soldiers attached to the 157 battalion went missing after they came under intense attack from Boko Haram insurgents on Wednesday. But in attempts to cover up the setback suffered by its troops and discredit PREMIUM TIMES exclusive report on the matter, senior officials of the Nigerian Army have at least four contradictory statements in the last 24 hours.

President Goodluck Jonathan at a forum in Washington DC, Thursday, waded into the arms procurement scandal surrounding the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, saying his government never awarded any contract in the range of $2 billion dollars. “I did not award any $2 billion contract for procurement of weapons” Mr. Jonathan stated categorically querying, “Where did the money come from?” and repeating emphatically that “I did not award a contract of $2billion for procurement of weapons”.

The immediate past National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, has said he is not a thief as being speculated by President Muhammdu Buhari and his aides. The former NSA also accused Mr. Buhari of being desperate to hang some former public and military officers who risked their lives to serve the country. In a statement Wednesday, Mr. Dasuki, a retired colonel, described the way the Presidency was feeding the public with allegations against his person and other yet-to-be-named public officers as “theatrical.”

The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Katsina, has confirmed the death of 15 persons in the bomb blasts that rocked the GSM Market in the city on Wednesday. He also said about 53 persons were injured in the blasts. According to Mr. Katsina, 10 persons died on the spot while five of the 58 persons rushed to the hospital later died. Already, the scene of the incident was cordoned off by security operatives when our reporter visited on Wednesday evening.

An explosion, believed to be from a bomb, has gone off in Kano,  “An explosion has gone off at Kano GSM market around farm centre,” reporter  Mohammed Ahmad said. “I’m rushing to the scene.” Details of the incident are still sketchy, our correspondent says. The spokesperson of the Kano Command of the police could not be reached for comments. The incident came less than 24 hours after a similar explosion in a crowded park in Yola, the Adamawa state capital, left at least 34 people dead and 80 injured. More to come…

A bomb explosion that occurred Tuesday evening at a tipper garage market in Yola, Adamawa State, killed 32 people and injured 80 more, the National Emergency Management Agency said. Sa’ad Bello, NEMA coordinator in Adamawa confirmed this to PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview on Wednesday. The blast happened at the gate of the market close to tipper garage in the evening as traders left the market.

The Nigerian Army on Monday threatened to use minimum force in dealing with  civilians agitating for the return of the defunct Biafra Republic. The General Officer Commanding of the 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army, Hassan Umaru, gave the warning on Monday at a press conference in Maxwell Kobe Cantonment, Rukuba, Plateau State. “It is the duty of an officer or soldier to ensure the enforcement of law and order in conjunction with other security agencies, troops are duty bound to intervene in any situation to avoid a breakdown in peace and stability of an area where they are deployed,” Mr. Umaru said.