Military campaigns: Losses, questions as soldiers invade communities

Farming communities of North Central Nigeria, in recent times, have experienced all sorts of invasions from armed groups. If it is not herdsmen, it is bandits. The situation became alarming that residents were perpetually in fear of possible attacks from the unwanted visitors, who perpetrated the attacks under the cover of the night.

To stem the rising attack on the hitherto peaceful communities, the Federal Government ordered the military to provide security and ensure the restoration of law and order. The coming of the military however, heightened apprehension, as soldiers are now alleged to unleash terror on the inhabitants of these communities. The military campaign, have no doubt, left sour tales in the mouth of residents.

For instance, the military campaign in Gbishe Community in Kastina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State was at the instance of the State Government to fish out a notorious criminal, who allegedly orchestrated the killing of Senior Special Assistant on Security to the Governor, Denen Igbana.

For the five communities of Kpaindna, Legbe-dagma,Bambe, Kopa, Lunku and surrounding villages in Bosso Local Government of Niger State, the military incursion into their territory on the night of August 4, was alleged to find a cache of arms and ammunition hidden there and arrest ‘bandits’ hibernating in the communities. The serene communities had been peaceful and had no previous record of violence, until the Fulani herdsmen attacked them a month ago.

In all these communities, residents have different tales to tell, which cast doubts on the good intention of the government to ensure that all communities in the country were protected from invasion of armed bandits, who daily trouble Nigerians.

In the case of Niger State, when the news started filtering in that Soldiers on patrol were attacked by armed men from four villages in the Local Government Area, it conveyed the impression that a Boko Haram cell might have been discovered and in the ensuing encounter, 11 Soldiers were reportedly killed in what look more like an ambush.

But the Acting Director, Army Public Relations (Ag.DAPR) Colonel Sani Usman in a statement titled “Gun Runners and Armed Bandits Attacked Troops in Bosso LGA”, explained that the situation from the position of the Army. He said troops of 31 Artillery Brigade, 1 Division Nigerian Army, in conjunction with Nigeria Air Force detachment were on Internal Security Operation Mesa, when they got information that there was large “weapon cache” kept in the villages of Kopa, Dagma and Gagaw, they proceeded to search the area and arrest the suspected persons and the armed bandits.

According to him, “While approaching and deploying to carry out their lawful duty, the troops came under simultaneous and sporadic shootings in all the three locations. They however responded as necessary, in line with the rules of engagement. Sadly, an officer and eight soldiers of the Nigerian Army and two Airmen of the Nigeria Air Force lost their lives in the line of national duty. Additionally, one soldier is still missing, while two of their colleagues were seriously wounded.

“The suspected gun runners and armed bandits also burnt down four operational vehicles and vandalized two others.  Bandits also carted away four AK-47 rifles and one Fabrique Nationale (FN) rifle belonging to the deceased soldiers.

“The troops also killed eight of the armed bandits and arrested 57 others. They also recovered large quantity of arms and ammunition. The recovered items include; three AK-47 rifles, 10 Local AK-47 Rifles, nine Locally made Pistols, six Revolver guns, which fires 7.62mm (Special ammunition), 45 Loaded Dane guns, 10 Clubs and Cudgels, 41 Arrows, 18 Bow cases, 122 Cutlasses and Machetes as well as 20 Daggers.

“Other items recovered include 31 Axes, 63 rounds of 7.62 (Special) Ammunition, 10 Bajaj Motorcycles, Assorted Charms and Amulets, two Vehicles, 38 mobile telephone handsets, a wristwatch, five Identity Cards, Passport Photographs, Cash sum of N23, 870, five Japanese Yen and 35 different denominations of old Nigerian currency, 15 catapults, eight torch lights, two gun powder bottles, four empty cases of Ammunition and 41 Cartridges. The troops also seized a military Waist Belt and a pair of military Combat Boots.”

On the same day however, reports by other media organizations, with the benefit of information obtained from some members of the affected community stated that the troops actually drove into an ambush in six Toyota hilux pick-up vans. Only the vigilante that keep watch over the villages to forestall herders’ attack, were awake.

Though, the largest ethnic group in the state, the Gbagyi people, who occupy the affected communities are known to be peaceful and have no history of violent clashes, only just about a month ago when they had a bloody clash with the Fulani Herdsmen, this time at Kpaidna and other adjourning communities in Bosso local government area of the state.

Ever since then, communities have been sleeping with one eye open for fear of attacks from the herdsmen, who were said to have suffered heavy casualties, thence the steady night vigil by local volunteers over their communities.

Although the Army released the 57 people earlier captured in the villages and detained in their facility to the Niger State Police Command, the casualty figure seem to be on the rise whereas the Army in their statement put the civilian casualties at eight.

Meanwhile, penultimate Thursday when relatives of the deceased villagers came to claim the decomposing copses for burial, not fewer than 10 bodies were removed from the mortuary of the Minna General Hospital. Two other bodies were recovered from the bush in the village on Wednesday evening during the visit by the State Governor, Sani Bello, but were buried immediately. This now brings the civilian causality figures to twelve even, as the villagers claim that one Mallam Tanko was still missing, as he was not among those released by the Army on Wednesday to the Police.

In their own account, the communities said the excuse given by the military for the invasion of their communities, was like giving a dog a bad name in other to hang it. They claimed their communities have no records of criminality.

Spokesman for the communities, Minna Addullahi Mohammed Bosso said that a highly respected institution like the military should have known that even in carrying out duties like this, “all hands should be on deck, both at the level of planning and operationalization”.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Mechanized Division of the Nigeria Army, Kaduna, Major General Adeniyi Oyebade insisted that the invasion of the community was based on intelligent reports, that there were arms stockpiled by the community, adding that the Army decided to embark on what he called, “cordon and search operation” which resulted in the bloody clash.

The Senator representing Niger East senatorial zone, David Umaru, while reacting to the attack during a press briefing in Minna said, it is either the GOC was misinformed or was not ready to say it all, as the information he had gathered from some members of the community and the Police contrasts the GOC’s statement.

He faulted claim by the Military authority for the reason given for the invasion, saying, “The military has not given any cogent reason(s) for this crude invasion and brutality of my people.” He also debunked the claim by the Military that those civilians killed were bandits and reiterated that the community had no previous record of criminality.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I would like to inform the public that this community was only attacked, a month ago, by alleged Fulani herders during which many innocent people were killed and over 500 others displaced. Many of the victims of the heinous attack are still living in refugee camps in Minna and the military authorities in Niger State, I believe, are aware of this.

“I am reliably informed that, this time around when the sleeping villagers were woken by the brutal force of the invasion in the thick of the night, the first thing that came to their mind was that it was another attack by the same Fulani herders, on rampage of their community, which resulted in general pandemonium and commotion.

“The armed soldiers drawn from the 31 Artillery Brigade in Minna and the Airforce base in Bosso, stormed the villages in a brutal commando style at about 1:00 am, waking up the sleeping villagers, causing distress and inflicting pains on them. It is unfortunate that instead of the military to provide adequate protection to the helpless villagers, it has taken upon itself the onus of inflicting more pains on them in an unnecessary operation.”

While also lamenting the seeming usurpation of the powers of the Police to coordinate internal security in collaboration with other security agencies, Umaru said the Army’s role is to assist not to lead, “I make bold to ask, where was the Police in the so-called joint operation?” He asked.

The Niger State Police Command agreed with the Senator said. The State Commissioner of Police, Zuairu Muazu said, “The Nigeria Police is in charge of internal security and therefore other security agents only assist the police in a situation like this in carrying out any operation”.

The Command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) on the behalf of the Command exonerated the police saying, in view of what has happened, “we have decided to set up a formal joint operation called “joint operation center”, comprising all the security agents in the state”.

A four-man team from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), led by its Executive Secretary, Professor Bem Angwe was in Minna last Monday during which the officials met separately with men of the Nigerian Army and Senator Umaru, who represents the affected communities at the Red chambers.

The meeting between the Rights Commission officials, Army and the Senator were held behind closed doors at both the Brigade headquarters in Minna and the Senators campaign office, in the ‘F’ lay out area of the Niger state capital.

After the meetings, which lasted several hours, the officials declined to speak to newsmen, but one of them uttered, “very soon we will let the world know what has happened and who is at fault. We are fed up with the series of military invasions in this country; a stop must be put to these illegalities.”

Independent Observers on assessment tour of the affected communities have criticized the operations of the military, describing it as uncalled for.

A member of the team told The Guardian on condition of anonymity that, “The fracas in Bosso Local Government is uncalled for, and the weapons displayed by the Army to have been recovered from the community are basically farm implements. The marauding herdsmen have being invading communities in all parts of the country, they invaded these particular villages about a month ago, but were chased away. It is only wise for the villagers to prepare for another attack, knowing who they are.

“The attack by the military on these communities under the guise of looking for a cache of arms and bandits, only fuel insinuations that somebody somewhere is systematically pushing a Fulani agenda to sack farming communities in the North-central and take over their fertile land for grazing cattle. Because you don’t call what the Army displayed as recovered weapons from these villages. They are basically farming implements and what more, locally fabricated guns used by local vigilante, lets tell ourselves some truths.”

Already, Bello has announced the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry into the military attack, to unravel what actually happened. The setting up of the commission was decided at the State Executive Council, last week.

For the people of Gbishe community in Benue, the Army had arrived their community in 15 trucks in a joint operation with the Police, in search of the renowned militia leader Terwase Akwaza, aka Ghana, whom the government of Ortom granted amnesty to and advised to stay off crime.

According to the acting Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Bem Meladu, “The action followed the refusal of Akwaza to report to the police to answer charges of murder, kidnappings, and armed robbery. The State Security Council approved the operation.

“ Security reports have linked Akwaza to the assassination of Igbana, five Civilian Joint Task Force members in Ukum Local Government Area and several killings as well as, the kidnap of the Dangote Cement Company Indian workers. Akwaza had shunned the invitations by the police, hence the operations became imperative.”

The Soldiers left no one in doubt that they were at Gbishe village, as they not only searched the village through, but also brought down some houses.

The military invasion, however, left many of the villagers manhandled and some attacked, forcing many to flee their homes. Unconfirmed reports claimed there were causalities. But the State Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama denied the claim. He told The Guardian that the search for Ghana would be sustained, until he is found.

According to the villagers, the adjoining communities have been deserted as the people fear “a repeat of the Zaki Biam incidence of 2001, when soldiers came supposedly in search of some elements that allegedly killed their colleagues, resorted to killing every living soul in sight, including women and children, the aged and disables.”

They said, “Many people are running from the villages. Within five hours of the operations of the soldiers, they destroyed properties of the residents. Besides, the suspect’s properties, including farmlands were also destroyed. The situation has exposed us to attack by Fulani herdsmen, because people are fleeing the communities, leaving their farmlands.”

The Rights group Vanguard Against Tiv Massacre (VATIM), vehemently condemned the deployment of hundreds of soldiers at the instance of the government, to the community, in search of one suspected criminal, saying, “If the Governor could immediately convene a security meeting leading to the deployment of soldiers for the sole reason of arresting a single individual, why has the entire government been incapacitated in the continuous invasion of the state by ‘Libyan Herdsmen’; an invasion which usually results in the mindless slaughtering of defenceless farmers, women and children.”

In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman Ter Akaa and the Secretary Al Utsaha, VATIM questioned why the arrest of the suspected criminal became so important to the extent of deploying a detachment of military personnel at the detriment of the livelihood or existence of an entire community, even though the Governor had not too long ago said he had no power to deploy security personnel to any area.