STF denies bias over Plateau crisis
INDICATIONS emerged at the weekend that the six states of the Niger Delta under the aegis of BRACED are planning the establishment of a special force to tackle the upsurge of kidnapping in the region.
According to the proposal, the force will be made up of a structure set up by the states and the police with huge budget for the procurement of helicopters, gun boats, patrol vans and coordinating digital coverage of the entire region.
Meanwhile, the Commander of the Special Task Force (STF) Operation Safe Haven, Maj.-Gen. Henry Ayoola, has denied insinuations that the body was biased in handling the crisis in Plateau State.
He also disclosed that about six soldiers have been dismissed since he assumed the command of the STF about a year ago for violating the rules of engagements.
In a related development, gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram sect yesterday killed a mother of five children at her Maiduguri residence.
Also, the out-going General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Armoured Division, Rukuba Barracks, Jos, Maj.-Gen. Jack Okechukwu Nwaogbo, has said that the security challenges facing the Division in its areas of responsibility were not insurmountable given the desired commitment of the army personnel.
The Special Adviser to the Bayelsa Governor on Security, Col. Bernard Kenebai (rtd), said in Yenagoa at the weekend that though the proposed outfit was being put together by the six special security advisers in the region.
Kenebai linked the recent upsurge in kidnapping in Bayelsa State to the movement of kidnappers from neighbouring Delta and Rivers states to the state, adding "we have started a planned synergy with neighbouring states. States like Delta and Rivers are used as base and they move into Bayelsa and go back with their victims.
We have decided that it seems the issue is a common problem and we will establish the regional anti-kidnapping force."
Kenebai told reporters that the state security outfit, code named, Operation Doo-Akpor, in the last one year arrested over 600 suspects for criminal related offences and handed them over to the appropriate security agency for further interrogation and prosecution in accordance with the state criminal law.
Ayoola who disclosed this at the weekend while rounding off his peace tour of Jos South Council's flash points, dismissed insinuations that the STF had taken sides in the crises in the state, stressing that the STF under his command had never been involved in creating mayhem in the state, but rather was mitigating the crises.
He said, "any member of the STF who fails to carry out his or her duties as stipulated must be punished in accordance with military laws, which are very stringent."
Speaking at the event, the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, expressed dismay and attributed the continued crises to failure of both traditional and religious leaders as well as security officials in their responsibilities.
According to an eyewitness, three gunmen entered the deceased house at about 4.15 a.m., tied her hands to the back, and slashed her throat before her children.
Also, a relation of the deceased, Aisami Modu told The Guardian that the woman could have been killed because it was alleged that her husband was an informant to the Joint Task Force (JTF) and other security agents.
Modu said that the body of the woman had been buried according to Islamic rites.
The spokesman of Borno State Police Command, Gideon Jibrin, confirmed the incident, but added that no arrests had been made.
Nwaogbo who stated this during a brief handing over ceremony to his successor, Maj.-Gen. Ebiobowei Bonna Awala, said that the challenges were quite surmountable "given steadfastness, your commitment and sense of responsibility and that is what I want to urge you to continue to uphold. The same level of support that you gave to me while I was here that made it possible for us to achieve whatever we achieved in this past one year, I want you to extend to the very senior officer, the gentleman whom I have known over years.
The Guardian