It is time the authorities got serious about containing the serial bloodbaths in the country
The recent killing of 24 persons in Dongo Dawa village in Gwari LGA of Kaduna State has again raised serious concerns about the spectre of violence across the country and the increasing lack of regard for the sanctity of human life. Added to the Dongo Dawa incident is the one in Yogbo village, in Guma LGA of Benue State where some 21 Tiv farmers were reportedly hacked to death by suspected Fulani herdsmen. These atrocious killings came on the heels of the Mubi 24 massacre in Adamawa state as well as the Aluu incident where four students of the University of Port Harcourt were stripped naked and burnt alive in the full glare of a cheering crowd as recorded on video.
Although there had been conflicting reports as to who carried out the attack outside a Mosque in Dogon Dawa, the Emir of Birnin Gwari, Alhaji Zubairu Jibril Mai Gwari, partly attributed the killings to a senior police officer who allegedly accompanied, aided and abetted a gang of armed robbers who invaded Dogon Dawa in a pre-dawn operation to rescue four of their colleagues detained by the village’s vigilante group. During the attack the suspected gang of robbers killed the village head, one of his sons, his neighbours and nine others who were coming out of the mosque after early morning prayers.
Despite vehement denial by the Police about its alleged involvement in the Dogon Dawa mayhem, the Emir insisted that contrary was the case. In the Emir’s words, “Since I made my statement in public and before the governor and other security chiefs, I know what I am saying. The police officer who my people and the armed robbers call OC, led the gang to massacre my people.” Against such a weighty allegation we urge the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to order a full inquiry into the Emir’s claims with a view to getting to the root of the matter. Without prejudice to whatever may be the outcome of such investigation, we would like to state that the Police and other security agencies are of late having their fingers burnt in series of alleged extra judicial killings in different parts of the country. Therefore it will be in the best interest of the Police that the veracity of the Emir’s statements be established beyond all reasonable doubt and the earlier the better.
On the killing of 21 Tivs in Yogbo village, in Benue State, this was a fall-out from the existing hostile relationship and rivalry between the two ethnic groups. Although there had been past skirmishes in the areas before now, the latest killings appear to have punctured and punctuated all the peace entreaties from the governors of Nasarawa and Benue, Alhaji Tanko Almakura and Gabriel Suswam, respectively especially during their last meeting at Yelwata, Nasarawa State earlier in the year. As in past crisis the latest one left several farmlands in ruins while houses and huts running into several millions of Naira were reportedly destroyed. We therefore implore the governments of the two states and the security agencies to quickly step in and fish out the culprits.
In all, we condemn the spate of indiscriminate killings across the length and breadth of our country. Similarly, we stand strongly against extra- judicial killings by any branch of the security forces. There must be an end to these unwarranted killings whether by herdsmen or aggrieved villagers. Nigerians should seriously work against any form of bestiality that portrays this nation in bad light before the international community. So much blood has been shed in our country in just one year alone. We are not a nation of sadists and savages.