• Analyst Berates Army Over Killing, Accuses Govt Of Bias
The Federation of Jukun Youths said Nigerian Army should be commended for killing of the “Most Wanted Criminal, Terwase Agwaza, alias ‘Gana.’
The youths, yesterday, came out en masse in Jalingo, Taraba State, to make their position public on the ongoing blame game over Gana’s killing.
They said: “As far as we are concerned, Terwase Agwaza’s killing was a far-reaching success in the fight against banditry, kidnapping and terrorism in the country.”
Led by its National President, Agbujoro Agya Agbujoro, the group described the late Agwaza, as the “Most Wanted Criminal, “who had been terrorising Benue and Taraba states. They called out those blaming the Army to refrain from it.
Meanwhile, a Public Affairs Analyst, Iorgbaazan Tyosase has berated the Nigerian Army over the killing.
He said the incident has exposed Nigerian military’s weakness, which he noted, failed on several attempts to arrest the militia kingpin, while still carrying out his nefarious activities in the bush.
In an interview with The Guardian in Abuja, yesterday, Tyosase expressed fear over the consequences of Gana’s death in the near future, saying insecurity in the Sankera axis, where Gana hailed from, might worsen.
Drawing comparison with the kid gloves with which government handled Boko Haram repentant terrorist, most of whom were allegedly being recruited into the Armed Forces, Tyosase accused the Nigerian government of bias.
“The same people, who are currently killing soldiers elsewhere in the Northeast are given special treatment. The killing of someone, who had already surrendered to the authorities, showed just how lawless a nation could be,” he said.
He wondered why the nation cannot end banditry in the North and other criminal activities across the land, but would rather be interested in thwarting peace efforts elsewhere.
The Jukun youths said faulting the Army for the giant stride was uncalled for.
They urged Tiv and other groups or individuals condemning the killing to urgently retract their comments, by throwing their weights behind the Army to flush out hoodlums from the aforementioned states and Nigeria at large.
The group, reacting to a recent press statement issued by the Tiv Youth Forum accusing the military, said they could not fathom why Tiv have continued to frown at the “killing of a notorious terrorist, who according to them, has not only made lives unbearable for the people of the aforementioned states, but had also crippled business activities in the areas.”
They said military’s action was a “major breakthrough “ that ought to be celebrated by all and sundry, irrespective of tribe, religion and political affiliations.”
The group urged all responsible Nigerians to extend the much-needed helping hands to the Army to succeed in addressing the country’s security challenges.
The forum said Tiv youths “cannot teach the Army their duties.”
The said late Agwaza, was reported to have been killed on September 8, by the troops of Operation Ayem Akpatuma, during an exchange of gunshots in the neighbouring state of Benue.
The said troops, it would be recalled, had been laying siege in Southern part of Taraba and neighbouring Benue State, following the security situations in those areas, which led to destruction of lives and property.
