End Killings Or Face Court Martial, Army Tells Field

End Killings Or Face Court Martial, Army Tells Field

In a bid to saturate the pressure mounted on it by the commander-in-chief, President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian Army has given marching orders to its field commanders to immediately bring to an end the wanton killings in Benue, Taraba and Adamawa and other trouble states or face court martial.

The Army also warned arsonists and killers in the volatile states to desist from their acts or face decisive action by troops.

This is coming just as Makurdi, the Benue State capital, has been beefed up with heavy security ahead of President Buhari’s visit to the state today.

A statement by the director of Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen Texas Chukwu, yesterday noted that the Army and other security agencies are already working assiduously to identify and arrest all those involved in acts killings “regardless of their disposition in the society, including government functionaries.

“We have warned our commanders on the ground to take decisive actions or face court martial,” the Army spokesman threatened.

Chukwu said the attention of the Army had been drawn to the continued disturbing, senseless killings and wanton destruction of properties in the three states and that accordingly,  the Army authority “strongly warns the perpetrators of these crimes to desist forthwith”.

He further stated: “We would like to unequivocally reiterate that the Army Headquarters warns the arsonists and the killers to stop or face decisive action by troops.

Our Rules of Engagement (ROE) are clear on arson and murder. “Therefore, no such criminal acts would be allowed in any of the aforementioned states.

The public is please reminded that when troops are called out for internal security operations, they are not to joke or persuade anyone”.

Meanwhile security has been beefed up in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, ahead of President Buhari’s visit to the trouble state today.

LEADERSHIP gathered that there had been heavy security presence in the state capital since yesterday, with armed security operatives stationed at strategic areas.

In addition, security helicopters have been hovering around the state capital since yesterday to keep the place under surveillance because of the president’s visit today.

When contacted on the number of security personnel deployed to the state for the president’s visit, the state Police commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, simply said, “the president is coming, so he needs every protection.

“No need of asking for the number of personnel deployed. The president is coming and he must be protected and so security men are deployed. That’s all”, he added.

Besides, the state capital is said to be wearing a new look, as the state government has renovated some of the major roads, which were hitherto dead traps.

Governor Samuel Ortom, in announcing the visit of the president, stated that during the visit, the president will pay a courtesy call on the Tor Tiv and chairman of the Benue State Council of Chiefs, Professor James Ayatse.

According to the governor, the president will hold a meeting with major stakeholders at the Benue Peoples’ House, Makurdi, after which he will also visit one of the eight displaced person’s camps.

On his part, the president of Tiv Youths Organisation (TYO), Timothy Hembaor, insisted that President Buhari’s visit to Benue State is so much belated and of no significance to the people of the state.

He queried: “Why is he coming now, after he refused to heed all the calls from Gov Ortom on the threat by Miyetti Alhah to occupy Benue valley and carry out mass eviction?

"He told us to go and learn how to live peacefully with our killers. Now that the threats have been fully implemented, of what importance is his visit to us? Is he coming to see whether the plan has been executed?

“The only thing we are expecting from the president is to recognise the Anti-open Grazing Law and order for its full enforcement. That is the position of the Tiv Youth Organisation.

"The APC government at the federal level is yet to make us feel the impact of the beauty of this government, as no federal project is reflected in Benue since the inception of this administration.

"The Benue populace is in a moody state because of neglect by a government they believed in so much in.”

But faulting critics of Buhari’s visit to the state in a telephone chat with LEADERSHIP yesterday, the chief press secretary to the governor, Terver Akase, said, “Benue is part of Nigeria and so the president can visit the state at any given time he wants.

Even if other people are saying his visit is belated, for us, we are welcoming him with the hope that his coming will bring and end to the killings in the state.

“We are also hoping that the visit will give displaced persons the assurance of going back to their ancestral homes, as well as the support to the full enforcement of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment law.

“As the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, we are happy that he will come and see things for himself- the level of destruction, the untold hardship suffered by the IDPs as well as the orphans and widows”.

President Buhari’s visit to Benue State today is part of his tour of trouble states, including Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and Rivers as announced by the presidency last week.

The special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, had in a statement noted that the president decided to undertake an on-the-spot assessment of the various occurrences and to meet and console the communities affected.

According to the presidential spokesman, the president called on all Nigerians, especially those in the affected areas, to cooperate fully with the security agencies to enable them curb the spate of crimes, bring those responsible to justice and prevent further occurrences Adesina said.

“In view of recent terrorist attacks, criminal activities and communal clashes in some states leading to tragic loss of lives and kidnapping of 110 schoolgirls, President Muhammadu Buhari immediately tasked the Armed Forces and other Security agencies to compile comprehensive reports on the various incidents.

“Having received and studied the reports, the President has decided to undertake an on the spot assessment of the various occurrences and to meet and console the communities affected.

“From today, March 5, he will visit Taraba, and subsequently Benue, Yobe, Zamfara and Rivers States. President Buhari has been receiving daily briefings, and has been in constant touch with the Governors and has been updated with situation reports” Adesina had 

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