News

Secret group of US military trainers has been in Taiwan for at least a year

The US has been secretly maintaining a small contingent of military trainers in Taiwan for at least a year, according to a new report, the latest sign of the rising stakes in US-China rivalry.

About two dozen US special forces soldiers and an unspecified number of marines are now training Taiwanese forces, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The trainers were first sent to Taiwan by the Trump administration but their presence had not been reported until now.

The report came as President Tsai Ing-wen said on Friday that Taiwan will “do whatever it takes to defend its freedom and democratic way of life”.

“Taiwan does not seek military confrontation,” she told a security forum in Taipei. “It hopes for a peaceful, stable, predictable and mutually beneficial coexistence with its neighbours. But Taiwan will also do whatever it takes to defend its freedom and democratic way of life.”

US troops have not been permanently based on the island since 1979, when Washington established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.

A Pentagon spokesman, John Supple, would not comment directly on the report, but noted that “our support for and defense relationship with Taiwan remains aligned against the current threat” from China.

“It is an important step but it’s intended primarily not to be provocative but actually improve the defence capability of Taiwan’s forces,” said Jacob Stokes, a fellow of the Indo-Pacific security programme of the Center for a New American Security.

“There’s always this balance between symbolism and substance, and I think by doing it quietly it’s meant to be more substance.”

The presence of US Marines Raiders in Taiwan has been previously reported, and was later confirmed by the Taiwan Navy Command as a “routine Taiwan-US military exchange and cooperation training”, according to US defence media and local outlets. US officials said the November 2020 reports were “inaccurate” but did not elaborate.

China’s foreign ministry issued a statement urging the US to stop military aid to Taiwan.

“China will take all necessary steps to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the statement said.

Hawkish state media outlet, the Global Times said on Friday that China’s state council “strongly opposed any form of military collusion between Taiwan and the United States”.

“We urge the US to abide Three Communiqués on the Taiwan issue and stop any provocations. The DPP authorities work with external forces to seek “independence” and reject reunification. This has led the people of Taiwan to disaster, and their attempts are bound to fail.”

The report of a US military presence in Taiwan comes after a series of escalatory signals in the Indo-Pacific. China flew nearly 150 military planes, including bombers and fighter jets, into Taiwan’s air defence zone, over the first four days of October.

Speaking to the BBC a day after meeting top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi, US national security advisor Jake Sullivan said that the US was deeply concerned about rising tensions in the region.

“We are going to stand up and speak out, both privately and publicly when we see the kinds of activities that are fundamentally destabilising,” Sullivan told the BBC.

Asked if the US was prepared to take military action to defend Taiwan, Sullivan said: “Let me just say this, we are going to take action now to try to prevent that day from ever coming to pass.”

Sullivan also said it would be an “enormous mistake” to draw conclusions about the US commitment to its allies based on its recent withdrawal from Afghanistan.

On Thursday, the CIA confirmed it would be creating a new “mission centre” to prioritise intelligence gathering on China.

Announcing the reorganisation, the agency’s director, William Burns, called the Chinese government “the most important geopolitical threat we face in the 21st century”.

“Throughout our history, CIA has stepped up to meet whatever challenges come our way,” Burns said. “And now facing our toughest geopolitical test in a new era of great power rivalry, CIA will be at the forefront of this effort.”

Separate mission centres created by the Trump administration on Iran and North Korea are to be dissolved into broader regional sections.

The state department has taken similar steps, establishing an enlarged specialised office, known informally as the China House, as part of the Biden administration’s broader pivot to Asia.

According to the Wall Street Journal report, the trainers in Taiwan rotate in and out, so it does not represent a permanent presence. There have been reports of US military advisers there over the years but Julian Ku, a law professor at Hofstra University, said the significant factor in Thursday’s report is the apparent confirmation by US officials.

“It’s an open secret they’ve been doing training exercises here and there, but this is a big deal to publicly acknowledge them,” Ku said.

“I don’t know what the benefit of that is. The Chinese government knows what’s going on. We’re not telling them – we’re just telling the Chinese public, which will then create pressure on the government to do something.”

News

Rivers: Police detain 5 over CDC chairman’s death

The Police Command in Rivers has apprehended five suspects over the alleged killing of Chief Ndidi Livingstone, a former Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairman, Mgbuoshimini, Rumueme, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Disu Olatunji, told newsmen in Port Harcourt that after the killing, the command launched a nationwide manhunt to apprehend the perpetrators.

It would be recalled that Livingstone was murdered in front of his wife and son during a church service in his community on Jan. 13.

Olatunji said that the FID-Intelligence Response Team and personnel of the command later identified nine suspects, including the mastermind of the killing.

He said that five of the suspects died from gunshot wounds sustained after attempting to resist arrest.

“Peter Chukwu, who masterminded that operation, was tracked down in his hideout in Ibusa, Delta, on April 5. His attempt to resist arrest led to his death,” he said.

The commissioner listed other suspects linked to include, Adebayo Adebayo, 48; Success Oge, 39, Nnamdi Emmanuel, 35, John Lucas, 34, and Sunday Godspower, 33.

Others are, Ifeanyi Nwadike, 30, Chigemezu Anochirimoyeanya, 29, Chimezie Adiele, 29, and Ogolo Promise, 25.

He further said that four of the suspects, Adebayor, Emmanuel, Lucas and Promise, led the police to the gang’s hideout in Aluu Village, where their cache of weapons were recovered.

“While approaching the camp, our personnel came under heavy gunfire from hoodlums suspected to be members of the gang.

“The four suspects attempted to escape during the ambush but were caught in the crossfire, they died in the process.

“There bodies have been deposited at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital morgue for autopsy,” he clarified.

Olatunji said that two AK-47 refiles, two SMG rifles, an assault rifle, a shotgun rifle, a pistol, 10 magazines, and 150 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the gang.

He said that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other suspects that were linked to the criminal syndicate.

News

Police arrest 9 suspects over communal crisis in Kogi

The Police Command in Kogi State has arrested nine suspects in connection with a communal crisis in Itamah area of Kogi.

The crisis occurred after the assassination of the community traditional ruler, Onu Itamah Job Shagari.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Bethrand Onuoha, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja on Thursday.

The late Chief Job Shagari was on Aug. 12 assassinated by some gunmen who invaded the community.

The traditional ruler’s death had created rift between two families — the Okenyi Abu-Atika and Shagari-Ebijegor, resulting in communal crisis.

But the police said they had arrested nine suspects and they were trailing other suspects.

“What the police are calling for now is for peace to be allowed to reign in Itamah community.

“The destruction done in that community is very unfortunate and uncalled for.

“We want a situation where the aggrieved families should come to round table for dialogue toward finding a lasting solution.

A situation where the community members are involved in an eye for an eye, the whole community will be blind and there won’t be peace there at all,” he said.

Onuoha denied the allegation that the command did not respond to petitions brought before it on arson and hostilities that left some houses and other property razed destroyed.

Mr Akoh Jonah, spokesman of the Okenyi Abu-Atika, claimed that more than 40 houses were burnt during the crisis, alleging that the police arrested 11 members of his family

News

Police arrest two suspects with AK-47 rifle in Bauchi

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested two suspects with a fabricated AK-47 rifle and ammunition in the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of the state.

Spokesperson of the command, SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, September 12, 2024. He said the suspects were nabbed by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit while trying to sell the rifle for N580,000.

“The Bauchi State Police Command is unwavering in its efforts to combat the proliferation of small and light arms within the state. In furtherance of this commitment, the Taskforce operatives, led by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit attached to the Command, have successfully apprehended two suspects in possession of a fabricated AK47 rifle and ammunition at Boto Market in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi state,” the statement read.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects, who travelled from Plateau State to Boto market, negotiated the sale of the rifle for N580,000.

“The apprehended suspects are: Abdulgafar Mohammed, male, 18 years old, from Barkin Ladi, Plateau State and Yusuf Isa, male, 25 years old, from the same address.

“A discreet investigation is ongoing, after which the suspect will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.

Under the stewardship of the Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Musa Mohammad, psc, Anipr, the Command has escalated efforts to locate and apprehend the manufacturers of such weapons, irrespective of their location. Ultimately, the Command aims to assure the public of its dedication to eliminating illegal firearms in the state and urges the citizens to understand that.

“Mankind must put an end to organised crime, or organized crime will put an end to mankind”, and on the “ keyboard of life, let us as citizens always keep a finger on the escape key to survive.”