Nigerian government says extremist group ISWAP responsible for deadly church attack

STORY: Nigerian government says extremist group ISWAP responsible for deadly church attack DATELINE: June 11, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:16 LOCATION: Abuja CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of security chiefs meeting with President Buhari 2. various of meetings 3. various of the press briefing STORYLINE: The Nigerian government on Thursday blamed the Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP), an extremist group, for the recent attack on a church in the southwestern state of Ondo, in which at least 40 people were killed. The Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola told reporters at a press briefing in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, that ISWAP militants were suspected of carrying out the attack on the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, a town in Ondo, Sunday. Although security agencies are zeroing on the criminals, no arrest has been made so far in connection to the attack, according to Aregbesola. The minister said security agencies were directed to go after the perpetrators of the attack and bring them to j

More than 460 extremist militants surrender to troops in NE Nigeria

STORY: More than 460 extremist militants surrender to troops in NE Nigeria DATELINE: Feb. 26, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:14 LOCATION: Abuja CATEGORY: MILITARY SHOTLIST: 1. various of military operations in NE Nigeria 2. various of press conference at the defense headquarters 3. SOUNDBITE (English): BERNARD ONYEUKO, Military spokesman STORYLINE: A total of 466 extremist militants have surrendered to troops in Nigeria's northeast region in the past two weeks, the military said Thursday. The militants of the Boko Haram and Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP) groups surrendered during various operations carried out by troops between Feb. 10 and Thursday, Bernard Onyeuko, a spokesman for the military, told reporters in Abuja, the Nigerian capital. SOUNDBITE (English): BERNARD ONYEUKO, Military spokesman "This led to the surrender of 466 Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province, terrorists and their families comprising of 120 adult males, 137 adult females, and 209 children with the claim t