A former Minister of Defence and an elder statesman, Lt. Gen.
Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), on Saturday, told Nigerians to defend
themselves against killers in the country, saying the armed forces
were not ready to defend them.Danjuma made the call while speaking
at the maiden convocation of the Taraba State University, Jalingo,
and the 10th anniversary of the institution.
The former Chief of Army Staff stated, “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.”
The call by the retired general came barely two days after
residents of the Takum and Ussa Local Government Areas of Taraba
State accused the Army Operation Ayem Akpatuma (Cat Race) of
providing cover for the killer herdsmen to attack and kill
villagers in the areas.
The Chairman of Takum, Shiban Tikari, and his Ussa counterpart,
Rimansikwe Karma, had, on Thursday, while conducting journalists
round the villages attacked by herdsmen in their LGAs, accused the
operatives of Operation Cat Race, currently going on in the state,
of brutality, extortion and providing cover for herdsmen to kill
the locals.
Also, at the convocation, the state governor, Darius Ishaku,
expressed delight at the growth of the university within 10 years
of its establishment.
Ishaku commended the founding fathers of the institution for
their foresight in bringing university education to the doorsteps
of Taraba people and pledged to continue to support the university
to attain a world-class status.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Vincent Tenebe, hailed the state
government for its continued support for the rapid growth of the
institution, congratulating the 5, 900 graduating students from the
first five sets of the university.
Tenebe urged them to be good ambassadors of the institution.
The occasion witnessed the conferment of honorary doctorate on
Danjuma; a former minister of the Federal Capital territory,
Senator Jeremiah Useni; and Ishaku.
Others were the Chairman of Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr. Tony
Elumelu, and a former Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education
Trust Fund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro.
Danjuma had, earlier in the day, inaugurated the 6.75km township
network of roads in Jalingo, the state capital, constructed by the
Ishaku administration.
Meanwhile, two Middle Belt groups and the pan-Yoruba
socio-political organisation, Afenifere, have supported Danjuma’s
call on Nigerians to defend themselves against killers.
The President, Middle Belt Youth Council, Emma Zopmal, in an
interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, said Danjuma’s words should be taken
seriously.
He stated, “For him (Danjuma) to speak about the herdsmen’s
killings in Nigeria at this point in time, it means the situation
must be getting out of hand due to the negligence of the government
or its interest in the enterprise of killings.
“With his strategic position in the world today, every bit of
his words should be taken more seriously. I also do not think that
this is the first time he is advising Nigerians to be careful with
the situation of Fulani herdsmen killings.”
On his part, President, National Council of Tiv Youths, Chief
John Akperashi, said Danjuma’s indictment of the military should be
taken seriously.
He stated, “By this therefore, the security establishments,
especially the military, should be conscious of the reality that it
(military) is getting unpopular and Nigerians are fast losing hopes
in its capacity to protect and secure both the citizens and
entity.”
He however said it was not only Taraba State that was under
attack.
The youth leader added, “The entire Benue valley is endangered
and there is an orchestrated, premeditated, sponsored and
coordinated agenda to overrun the Benue valley through very
dehumanising and mind-boggling, demented schemes for which he,
Danjuma, should be aware.”
Afenifere agreed with the retired general that the killings were
as part of “an ethnic cleansing agenda” which it stated that the
people must resist.
Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, said, “T. Y. Danjuma has
said the truth. If the government cannot defend the people, the
people should defend themselves. When you have an IG, who, instead
of disarming herdsmen who are carrying weapons, is asking those
defending themselves to submit their own arms, that shows clearly
that there is an ethnic cleansing agenda and Gen. Danjuma is right
in observing it.”
Security agencies must respond to allegation — PDP
The PDP spokesperson, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, says the party will
not react now.
He said the security agencies must be asked to talk on the
allegation.
No comments, says APC
Also, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives
Congress, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said, “I have no comments.”
Military will investigate, punish culpable soldiers, says
DHQ
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters, said, on Saturday, that it
would investigate the allegations made by Danjuma and punish any
soldier found to be involved in such “unprofessional conduct.”
The Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. John Agim, told
one of our correspondents that the military would not condone
“anybody that sabotages its efforts.”
Agim stated, “Gen. Danjuma is a very respected citizen. If he
made that allegation, certainly the military will find out and
investigate that claim. And anybody found guilty will be punished
accordingly.
“The military has never been known to hide anybody that
sabotages the efforts of the military. So, if it is found to be
true, such person will be punished. We won’t keep quiet or hide
anyone.”
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on
this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast,
rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior
express written permission from PUNCH.
Punch
A former Minister of Defence and an elder statesman, Lt. Gen.
Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), on Saturday, told Nigerians to defend
themselves against killers in the country, saying the armed forces
were not ready to defend them.Danjuma
made the call while speaking at the maiden convocation of the
Taraba State University, Jalingo, and the 10th anniversary of the
institution.
The former Chief of Army Staff stated, “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.”
The call by the retired general came barely two days after
residents of the Takum and Ussa Local Government Areas of Taraba
State accused the Army Operation Ayem Akpatuma (Cat Race) of
providing cover for the killer herdsmen to attack and kill
villagers in the areas.
The Chairman of Takum, Shiban Tikari, and his Ussa counterpart,
Rimansikwe Karma, had, on Thursday, while conducting journalists
round the villages attacked by herdsmen in their LGAs, accused the
operatives of Operation Cat Race, currently going on in the state,
of brutality, extortion and providing cover for herdsmen to kill
the locals.
Also, at the convocation, the state governor, Darius Ishaku,
expressed delight at the growth of the university within 10 years
of its establishment.
Ishaku commended the founding fathers of the institution for
their foresight in bringing university education to the doorsteps
of Taraba people and pledged to continue to support the university
to attain a world-class status.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Vincent Tenebe, hailed the state
government for its continued support for the rapid growth of the
institution, congratulating the 5, 900 graduating students from the
first five sets of the university.
Tenebe urged them to be good ambassadors of the institution.
The occasion witnessed the conferment of honorary doctorate on
Danjuma; a former minister of the Federal Capital territory,
Senator Jeremiah Useni; and Ishaku.
Others were the Chairman of Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr. Tony
Elumelu, and a former Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education
Trust Fund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro.
Danjuma had, earlier in the day, inaugurated the 6.75km township
network of roads in Jalingo, the state capital, constructed by the
Ishaku administration.
Meanwhile, two Middle Belt groups and the pan-Yoruba
socio-political organisation, Afenifere, have supported Danjuma’s
call on Nigerians to defend themselves against killers.
The President, Middle Belt Youth Council, Emma Zopmal, in an
interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, said Danjuma’s words should be taken
seriously.
He stated, “For him (Danjuma) to speak about the herdsmen’s
killings in Nigeria at this point in time, it means the situation
must be getting out of hand due to the negligence of the government
or its interest in the enterprise of killings.
“With his strategic position in the world today, every bit of
his words should be taken more seriously. I also do not think that
this is the first time he is advising Nigerians to be careful with
the situation of Fulani herdsmen killings.”
On his part, President, National Council of Tiv Youths, Chief
John Akperashi, said Danjuma’s indictment of the military should be
taken seriously.
He stated, “By this therefore, the security establishments,
especially the military, should be conscious of the reality that it
(military) is getting unpopular and Nigerians are fast losing hopes
in its capacity to protect and secure both the citizens and
entity.”
He however said it was not only Taraba State that was under
attack.
The youth leader added, “The entire Benue valley is endangered
and there is an orchestrated, premeditated, sponsored and
coordinated agenda to overrun the Benue valley through very
dehumanising and mind-boggling, demented schemes for which he,
Danjuma, should be aware.”
Afenifere agreed with the retired general that the killings were
as part of “an ethnic cleansing agenda” which it stated that the
people must resist.
Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, said, “T. Y. Danjuma has
said the truth. If the government cannot defend the people, the
people should defend themselves. When you have an IG, who, instead
of disarming herdsmen who are carrying weapons, is asking those
defending themselves to submit their own arms, that shows clearly
that there is an ethnic cleansing agenda and Gen. Danjuma is right
in observing it.”
Security agencies must respond to allegation — PDP
The PDP spokesperson, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, says the party will
not react now.
He said the security agencies must be asked to talk on the
allegation.
No comments, says APC
Also, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives
Congress, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said, “I have no comments.”
Military will investigate, punish culpable soldiers, says
DHQ
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters, said, on Saturday, that it
would investigate the allegations made by Danjuma and punish any
soldier found to be involved in such “unprofessional conduct.”
The Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. John Agim, told
one of our correspondents that the military would not condone
“anybody that sabotages its efforts.”
Agim stated, “Gen. Danjuma is a very respected citizen. If he
made that allegation, certainly the military will find out and
investigate that claim. And anybody found guilty will be punished
accordingly.
“The military has never been known to hide anybody that
sabotages the efforts of the military. So, if it is found to be
true, such person will be punished. We won’t keep quiet or hide
anyone.”
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on
this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast,
rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior
express written permission from PUNCH.
Punch
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