Nasarawa set to prosecute Baba Alakyo, others

The Nasarawa State government has initiated a process to begin the prosecution of Baba Alakyo, accused of being the chief priest of Ombatse, an Eggon group said to be responsible for killing 74 security operatives in Alakyo, near Lafia on May 7, 2013, the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagi Innocent said yesterday.

The Attorney General told Daily Trust that the state government had given his office the powers to prosecute him, adding that the office had already proceeded to delegate three law firms to initiate criminal prosecution that would lead to the arraignment of Baba Alakyo and others indicted by the government whitepaper in two weeks time.

Seventy-Four security personnel were killed in Alakyo on the night of May 7, 2013 in an ambush. A report of the commission of inquiry that investigated the killing indicted the Ombatse.

The paper listed for prosecution, Ombatse leaders suspected as masterminding the murder as: Baba Ala Agu (Baba Alakyo) Dogo Anda (Spiritual Leader), Haruna Musa Zico, (Chairman), Zubura Musa Akwashiki, (Secretary), David Asilika (PRO), Wakili Esheba (Welfare Officer), Amos Agbu Otsa (Discipline Officer), Barr. Z. Z. Allumaga (Legal Adviser), Mohammed L. Agu (Patron).

The paper also said Senator Solomon Ewuga (PDP, NasarawaNorth), alongside two other Eggon political leaders; Rep Joseph Haruna Kigbu (PDP, Lafia/Obi), and House of Assembly member, Nathanial Agyo Mesa, are to be subjected to further investigation to ascertain their roles and extent of involvement in the murder and support to Ombatse.

The financiers of the group are suspected to be Senator Solomon Ewuga, Dr. Joseph Kigbu, member, House of Representatives Nathaniel Agyo Mesa, Alhaji Saleh Angulu (Village Head of Agyaragu, Yohanna Labaran, manager, Ambula Transport, Agyaragu, Ahijo (Chara) an Eggon local musician.

But Senator Ewuga, Kigbu and Agyo Mesa had filed a suit at the Federal High sitting in Lafia challenging the indictment. They are asking the court to set aside the panel report as well as the whitepaper because according to them, it infringes on their fundamental human rights. But Attorney General said all is set for the prosecution of those indicted, as well as the initiation of the administrative procedure to tackle other aspects of the whitepaper.

He said: “Within the next two weeks, charges will be filed and arraignment will be done.” He said lawyers would be served with papers delegating them to handle the prosecution on behalf of government by today.

Lagi said by the procedure laid for the initiation of the criminal prosecution of the indicted persons, almost 75 percent of the issues raised in the whitepaper would be tackled, while the remaining 25 percent would be handled through administrative procedures.

“If there is anything this government will not falter on, it is to ensure that impunity does not have its way here,” Lagi added.