Army commandant apologises for soldiers’ attack on Benue community

COMMANDANT of the Nigeria Army School of Military Engineering, NASME, Makurdi, Major General Bamidele Ogunkale has apologised to Governor Samuel Ortom over soldiers’ attack on the North Bank community last Saturday.

General Ogunkale, who made the apology when he paid a visit to the Governor at the Peoples House, further disclosed that he had already instituted a commission of inquiry headed by his deputy to investigate the circumstances that led to the incident and assured that perpetrators shall be brought to book.

He maintained that the army would collaborate with other security agencies to take an overall view of cult and other criminal activities in North Bank with the objective of curbing such conduct.

The NASME Commandant also announced the cancellation of plans to relocate the Nigerian Army Institute of Technology and Environmental Studies, NAITES, and urged the people of the state to patronize the institution, which he said has a steady academic programme.

He appealed to the state government to provide logistics to the school to enable it resume pumping of water to the neighboring community, repair a damaged culvert on North Bank-Yogbo road as well as resume security patrol on waterways.

In his response, Governor Ortom assured those affected during the clash that the state government was compiling a comprehensive report at President Muhammadu Buhari’s request, which will be forwarded to him for further necessary action.

He advised the military to always operate within the ambit of the law, adding however that two wrongs do not make a right. Governor Ortom expressed satisfaction with the commandant’s peace building efforts and appealed that efforts must be made to sustain existing peaceful coexistence between communities and military formations in the state.

He assured that even though things were tight financially he would provide the assistance, which the commandant requested.