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The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, has constituted a panel of enquiry to investigate allegations of collusion against the Army in Taraba state.
This came as a response to Theophilus Danjuma, claims that Army troops were aiding armed militias to kill indigenes of Taraba state.
The elder statesman who spoke at the maiden convocation of Taraba State University in Jalingo on Saturday, March 24, Danjuma had said: ” I am not a politician and politics is one profession I don’t want to belong to because if I am a politician, I will not say what I am going to say to you now.
“When I arrived in this arena, I saw rich cultural display and I was amazed at the rich cultural heritage of our people. Taraba is a mini Nigeria with diverse ethnic groups living together peacefully, but the peace in this state is under assault.
“There is an attempt at ethnic cleansing in the state and of course, some rural states in Nigeria. We must resist it. We must stop it. Every one of us must rise up.
“Our Armed Forces are not neutral. They collude with the bandits to kill people, kill Nigerians. The Armed Forces guide their movements; they cover them. If you are depending on the Armed Forces to stop the killings, you will all die one by one.
“This ethnic cleansing must stop in Taraba State and other rural states of Nigeria otherwise Somalia will be a child’s play.”
” I ask every one of you to be alert and defend your country, defend your territory and defend your state. Defend yourselves because you have no other place to go. God bless our country,” he stated .
Buratai however said that the weighty allegations by Danjuma and others deserved to be thoroughly investigated, with a view to
establishing their veracity.
He stressed that the Army had conducted operations in the past, in aid of civil authority, regretted that of late, similar undertakings were attracting criticisms from some quarters.
“The NA has over the years conducted operations in line with its constitutional responsibility of defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria and providing aid to civil authority whenever it is called upon for such a task.
“However, the actions of the NA in recent military operations particularly in Taraba State, have been criticized by individuals and interest groups from different sectors of the society.
“Some of these concerns have come from the State Government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and very senior citizens from the state. Most recently, on the 24 Mar 18, a former COAS Lt Gen TY Danjuma (rtd) speaking during the convocation ceremony of the Taraba State University, alleged that the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) collude with armed bandits and other criminal elements.
“Statements of this nature could damage the reputation of the AFN and thus cannot be ignored if the NA is to continue to earn the trust and respect of the Nigerian populace. ” Thus it became imperative for the NA to set up this Panel to confirm the veracity or otherwise of these allegations”, Buratai said.
He charged members to be thorough in the task, even as he added that he had directed relevant formations to make logistical support available. This was as he charged members of the board to visit all flashpoints, and also interact with interest groups, in a bid to produce a fool-proof report.
” As members you were carefully selected based on your proven record of integrity and meticulousness. I have no doubt that you will do a great job. The Terms of Reference given to you is robust and has been articulated to enable you focus on the crux of the matter and expedite your actions towards unravelling the true situation of things.
” I have directed AHQ DAPP and the various formations to provide you with all the necessary logistics required for the completion of your assigned tasks. You are enjoined to visit all flash points and interact with various stakeholders and interest groups in Taraba State in order to come up with a comprehensive report. Let me hasten to add that the task at hand is a burning national issue, hence you are to treat this assignment with the seriousness it deserve,” he said.
Stella Enenche, Abuja
