Dipo Olowookere
A group known as the Coalition of Civil Society Groups against Terrorism in Nigeria has described the report of the 10-man panel constituted to probe allegations of bias, aiding and abeiting leveled against the Nigerian Army by a former Chief of Army Staff, General TY Danjuma, in its military operations in Taraba State and some parts of the North Central geopolitical zone of the country as a welcome development.
The group, in a statement issued in Lagos, and jointly signed by its Convener and Secretary, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji and John Atani respectively, lauded the panel for doing a diligent assignment, which vindicated its earlier position and cleared the army of involvement in any negative act whatsoever as accused by General Danjuma and some politicians.
It also congratulated the Nigerian Army, saying Nigerians never doubted that it had been professional in its approach towards prosecuting the war against terrorism, insurgency and other forms of crminalities, many of which some people believe was politically motivated.
The group further asserted that Nigerians will continue to support the army in its quest to protect law abiding citizens from any form of internal and external aggressors.
The Coalition called on the federal government to immediately bring to book perpetrators of ethnic violence and state sponsored militias across the country, particularly in Benue and Taraba States.
“We are undoubtedly convinced that the essence of the allegations by General TY Danjuma and subsequently by Mr Ishiaku Darius, Governor of Taraba State, is to distract the officers and men of the Nigerian Army from achieving its objective of flushing out criminal elements, who are falsely creating ethnic tensions across some states of the country, including Taraba.
“We are delighted about the exoneration of the Nigerian Army, which was cleared of any wrongdoing as an institution and we see this as the removal of obstacles that terrorist sponsors had tried to place in the way of the army to reduce its ability to protect Nigerians.” the statement added.
