PREMIUM TIMES has obtained more details of the negotiations that led to the release of five kidnapped aid workers in Borno State This newspaper broke the news of the release of the victims by a Boko Haram faction, ISWAP, on Wednesday. The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon,…

The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, on Thursday, said only three of the five persons abducted by Boko Haram terrorists on December 22, were aid workers said. Mr Kallon, who heads the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Nigeria, said he was "deeply…

Jane David sat on a stone close to her newly constructed kiosk for her daily business as a Point of Sale agent popularly referred to as a mobile bank agent. Mrs David looked exhausted, her gaze fixed on the Point Of Sale (POS) machine. It was a few minutes to…

Five aid workers abducted by Boko Haram insurgents last December have been released, security sources have told PREMIUM TIMES. The workers, two females and three males, were kidnapped on December 22 after a gang of gunmen believed to be Boko Haram terrorists ambushed their vehicle between Monguno and Damaturu. According…

The Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, yesterday said though he travelled to London for medical reasons, he was not on admittance in the hospital. The governor had on Monday sent a message to the people of Bauchi from London informing them that he was in the United Kingdom "to…

As he awaits today's ruling of the Supreme Court on the Bauchi State governorship election, Governor Bala Mohammed, who is ill and currently on admission in a London hospital, said he expects a favorable judgment. The governor also said he would be returning home "to fight those plotting his defeat…

The multinational joint task force (MNJTF) has announced that it has killed a high ranking commander in the Islamic State, West African Province (ISWAP), named Khalifa Umar. A statement from the Task Force said the influential commander of the terror group was "eliminated" during an airborne attack on one of…

The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, on Friday, gave out 70 new vehicles to the military and security outfits for surveillance operations. At a crowded event in Maiduguri, Mr Zulum handed the vehicles to all heads of security organizations comprising the Nigerian Army, police, and volunteers in the civilian…

Gunmen believed to be members of Boko Haram Thursday ambushed vehicles travelling along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway and abducted seven travellers, a witness said. According to a passenger who escaped the attack, the insurgents, driving in two Hilux vehicles, waylaid two unsuspecting vehicles – a Volkswagen golf and a Toyota Hiace…

The governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, on Thursday announced the appointments of 27 persons as special advisers to his government, an official statement has said. Though the state comprises 27 local government areas, the 27 advisers designates were not appointed in accordance with their local councils of origin. Some…

There was massive shooting in Monguno, a major town in northern Borno State, as the Nigerian military battled to repel an attack by suspected members of the Boko Haram, sources said. Suspected members of the ISWAP faction of Boko Haram attempted to invade the community that now serves as a…

Barely 24 hours after accusing soldiers of extortion, the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has accused the military of plotting to evacuate two communities without following due process. The governor was Tuesday morning in Jakana and Mainok villages where he stopped an ongoing move to mandatorily move the villagers…

The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has accused security personnel of the Nigeria military and police of collecting bribes of N1000 from travellers who do not have national identity cards. https://youtu.be/XLWvyui6Fk8

The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has accused security personnel of the Nigeria military and police of collecting bribes of N1000 from travellers who do not have national identity cards. The governor made the accusation Monday afternoon when he visited the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway where thousands of travellers were stranded…

Borno State’s governor, Babagana Zulum, on Monday, flagged off the construction of an overhead bridge in Maiduguri, that would become the first of its kind in Northeast Nigeria. Previously, Kano and Kaduna were the only states of the 19 northern states of Nigeria that had flyovers in their capital cities.…

Nigerian soldiers and suspected members of the Boko Haram last night engaged in hours of fierce battle in Jakana, a village 42km from Maiduguri, the state capital. The attack on Jakana is the latest in a series of hostilities that have been taking place on the relatively safe route that…

Hundreds of villagers in communities around Michika town in Adamawa State last night fled to the mountain top as suspected Boko Haram gunmen attacked their communities, sources said. The attack which commenced at about 6 p.m., lasted for many hours. A source, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES from the Michika…

An early morning fire on New Year Day burnt down the Maiduguri home of a popular medical doctor in Borno State, Olugbenga Aina. Mr Aina is a senior medical doctor in the Borno state Hospital Management Board. The fire which started at about 9 a.m. could not be put out…

It is nearly two months now since my encounter with kidnappers. While I remained in captivity, friends and colleagues fought hard to secure my freedom. As I later learned, the security forces and relevant authorities received our complaints and offered solidarity. The consensus was to negotiate and meet the terms…

Mandaragirau, a village in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, was attacked Sunday night by suspected Boko Haram insurgents. The attackers also burnt down the community's church and a school. They also abducted a man on their way out. The attack which occurred during the night was not repelled,…

Residents of Maiduguri, Borno State, on Saturday, had a bitter experience commuting around the city as the police blocked major highways in the city for "federal government functionaries" attending a wedding. Two children of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Kyari Mele, wedded in Maiduguri…

Numerous aircraft have landed at the Maiduguri International Airport as the son and daughter of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), Kyari Mele, wed today. The aircraft, according to sources at the airport, conveyed guests attending what is turning out to be the biggest event…

A young woman, Martha Bulus, and her friends were Thursday killed by suspected Boko Haram gunmen who attacked their vehicle while they were travelling from Maiduguri for her wedding ceremony, scheduled to take place next week. Ms Bulus' wedding has been scheduled to hold on December 31 in Yola, Adamawa…

At least six persons were killed on Christmas eve at Kwyaragilim village in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State after gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram invaded the community, officials said. The insurgents also abducted two women. Chibok had in April 2014 earned global recognition when Boko Haram insurgents…

Nigerian soldiers and members of a vigilante successfully repelled a Boko Haram attack on Biu in Southern Borno State, an official has said. An official of the Civilian-JTF, whose members fight alongside the military against the insurgents, told PREMIUM TIMES that 48 Boko Haram fighters were killed in the battle.…