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The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Friday stated that troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies are actively disrupting the operational capabilities of terrorists through ongoing operations across the country in a bid to address the nation’s security challenges.
This was contained in a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja by the Director of Defence Media, Major General Edward Buba, regarding the ongoing military operations by the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) in various theaters of operations against insurgency activities in the country.
According to General Buba, “Significantly, troops eliminated five Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) terrorist leaders during the week.”
Additionally, troops in the North Central operational theatre arrested a notorious terrorist commander identified as Usman Maisaje.
He added that during the week under review, troops neutralized 96 terrorists and arrested 272 individuals, including 45 perpetrators of oil theft. They also rescued 157 kidnapped hostages.
He further explained that in the South-South, troops prevented the theft of oil worth an estimated Seven Hundred and Twelve Million Sixty-Five Thousand Four Hundred and Fifty Naira (N712,065,450.00).
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According to him, “The arrested terrorist commander is a close associate of a wanted high-profile terrorist leader known as Kachalla Boka. His arrest has provided valuable intelligence, as he is cooperating and supplying troops with crucial information for further operations.”
“Furthermore, troops recovered 71 assorted weapons and 1,463 rounds of assorted ammunition. The breakdown is as follows: 50 AK-47 rifles, 16 fabricated rifles, 5 dane guns, 5 pump-action guns, 5 locally made pistols, one revolver pistol, and 16 AK-47 magazines.”
“Other recovered items include: 784 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 403 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 164 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition, 53 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 67 live cartridges, one Baofeng radio, 19 vehicles, 23 motorcycles, 35 mobile phones, the sum of N4,087,630.00, and 46,000 CFA amongst other items.”
He further added, “Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 4 dugout pits, 48 boats, 52 drums, and 38 storage tanks.”
“Other items recovered include 55 cooking ovens, 2 speedboats, one tricycle, 6 mobile phones, 6 vehicles, and 60 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 712,535 liters of stolen crude oil and 76,800 liters of illegally refined AGO,” he added.
General Buba reaffirmed that the military would not relent in its efforts to eliminate terrorists and dismantle the infrastructure supporting them. He added, “We will continue to degrade the terrorists’ military capability and effectiveness through our operations.”
Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) has unveiled NGX Invest, a digital platform designed to streamline public offerings and rights issues in the Nigerian capital market.
The platform, which has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), is now live, promising an efficient, convenient, and seamless experience for managing primary market transactions.
NGX Invest represents a significant leap forward in improving stakeholder experience within Nigeria’s capital market. Building on the success of the country’s first digital public offering in 2021, which attracted over 150,000 new retail investors, 75 per cent of whom were female and 85 per cent under the age of 40, NGX Invest enhances transparency and accessibility in primary market transactions.
NGX stated that the launch of the platform comes at a crucial time, coinciding with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Banking Recapitalisation directive, which has prompted numerous offers for subscription and rights announcements by Nigerian banks, saying that Access Holdings Plc, FCMB Group and Fidelity Bank Plc are already utilising the NGX Invest APIs to distribute their offerings to retail investors.
The director-general of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Dr. Emomotimi Agama commended the initiative, stating, “the e-offering platform aligns perfectly with our objective of future proofing the Nigerian capital market. By digitalising and automating financial intermediation processes, we are fostering a more efficient, transparent, and inclusive capital market.
“At the Commission, our focus is on creating an enabling regulatory environment that promotes innovation without compromising compliance and investor protection.”
Group chairman of NGX Group, Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga stated, “the supportive regulatory environment has provided a solid foundation that enabled the swift delivery of the platform. This reflects our mutual commitment to market development and will undoubtedly contribute to boosting the participation of retail investors in the capital market.
“As we strive for the market to play a larger role in Nigeria’s economic development, the integration of technology, strong partnerships, and collaboration, alongside a positive policy environment, will be essential.”
Group managing director/chief executive officer of NGX Group, Temi Popoola, expressed enthusiasm for the new platform noting its significance in NGX Group’s digital transformation journey and ability to enhance market access and foster economic growth.
Popoola emphasised that NGX Invest is designed to significantly enhance the efficiency of public offering subscriptions and rights issue processes, streamlining operational workflows to better support issuers’ capital-raising efforts.
CEO of NGX, Jude Chiemeka, underscored the platform’s transformative potential, saying that “NGX Invest addresses the demand for a more efficient and transparent process in managing public offers and rights issues.
“It will expedite reconciliation and allotment processes, reduce unclaimed dividends, and boost investor confidence. All stakeholders, including investors, registrars, issuing houses, brokers, banks, and regulators stand to benefit significantly from this innovation.”