Fish out the soldier’s killers
After many months of quiet, fresh trouble is now brewing in Agatu local government area of Benue State where, on February 11, some youths killed one of the soldiers deployed to the area for peace keeping. Reports had it that a fight broke out at a social gathering in Olegadamkolo and soldiers went there to ascertain the situation.
Recounting the circumstances that led to the soldier’s death, Commander, 707 Special Forces Brigade Brigadier General Clement Apeere said the soldier was killed while trying to rescue a colleague that was being molested by a gang of militant Agatu youths. In the process, one of the militants shot the soldier from behind. Private Badamasi Aminu died on the spot. Two other soldiers were also wounded in the attack. The militants left the scene with the soldier’s weapon and two magazines of ammunition of 30 rounds each.
General Apeere said the troops subsequently conducted a cordon-and-search operation to apprehend the militiamen. The search led to the recovery of the dead soldier’s body. Also recovered were his rifle and the ammunition the killers carted away. Other items recovered in the operation include “several sophisticated weapons, ammunition, police and military kits.” The weapons, according to the Brigade Commander, include two AK-47 rifles, two SLR rifles, two G3 rifles, one fabricated pistol, three locally-made pistols, two short-barrelled local revolvers and 14 Dane guns.
Meanwhile, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State last week gave the people of Agatu 72 hours to produce killers of the soldier. The ultimatum has already expired. Ortom told newsmen in Makurdi that the incident which took place at Olegadamkolo near Egba in Agatu was highly regrettable, saying “the action is condemnable. I apologise”. The governor’s deadline for the community to produce the culprits is especially laudable given the sad experiences of Odi and Zaki Biam communities, in Bayelsa and Benue states respectively, when soldiers went in search of the bodies of their slain colleagues and in the process burnt down the communities and killed many people.
At Zaki-Biam in Benue State, 19 soldiers sent to restore peace following clashes between the Tiv and Jukun ethnic groups were killed in October 2001. The military’s response reportedly left over a hundred dead and thousands displaced. The Odi episode happened earlier, on November 20, 1999. The military has often defended its action saying soldiers were ambushed on their way to Odi to restore order after the killing of twelve policemen on November 4, 1999. The policemen were deployed to the region in the context an ongoing conflict over indigenous rights to oil resources. In the present Agatu case, we commend the military for its show of restraint and professionalism.
A member representing Agatu constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Sule Audu, condemned the heinous act of Agatu youths, promising to help in offering information that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators. The lawmaker who condoled with the family of the deceased also wondered why anyone would attack those sent to protect them. The regular and frequent resort by youths to violence cannot be isolated from the easy access to arms and its proliferation among those not licensed by law to carry them.
While we call on youths in Agatu community to take advantage of the amnesty declared by Governor Ortom for those illegally in possession of weapons to surrender them, leaders and elders of Agatu community must spare no effort to ensure that killers of the soldier are identified and handed over for prosecution. They cannot pretend not to know them because these youths are vigilantes set up to guard the community in its earlier brushes with herdsmen. It was despicable on their part to turn on soldiers brought in to protect the community. They must be fished out by community leaders and presented to the authorities for exemplary punishment.