Massacre In Kaduna, Jos And Lawlessness Of Shiites – Luqman Soliu (RIFA President)

GENERAL IDRIS ALKALI ASSASINATION, KADUNA MASSACRE, SHI’ITES TRESSPASS AND THE CULPABILITY OF OUR LEADERS

Rights and Freedom Advocates noted that “On 2 September 2018 at about 8:00pm, unknown gunmen attacked a shopping complex located at Lafande Community on the outskirt of Jos metropolis in Dura-Du District of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.  As a result of the attack, 11 people were killed while others sustained various degrees of injuries. The attack triggered protest by the people of the area on the morning of 3 September 2018. Irate youths in their hundreds trooped out, blocked the Eastern Bypass with stones and other dangerous objects.

The immediate past Chief of Administration (Army), Major General Idris Alkali who recently  disengaged  from the Nigerian Army after 35 years meritorious service  to the Nigerian Army and the country was travelling from Abuja to Bauchi via Jos same day.  The senior officer was travelling alone in his black Toyota Corolla car with registration number, KWARA MUN 670 AA. Credible intelligence revealed that his car was stopped and he introduced himself as a general to the hoodlums who had barricaded the road that he was just passing through to Bauchi.

The senior officer was assaulted and killed. Thereafter, his belongings such as attires, cash, phones and laptop were shared by those who killed him.  His body was dragged before being moved to somewhere else and his car was driven and pushed into the abandoned mining pit filled with water. The irate youths who followed his car to the abandoned mining pit filled with water on many tri-cycles popularly known as “Keke NAPEP” engaged in jubilation for reason best known to them or for mission accomplished.  He was later buried in a shallow grave in an area popularly known as, “No man’s land” within the community” reports stated.

The search and rescue operation headed by the Commander 3 Division Garrison, Brigadier General Umar Muhammed revealed that during the search and rescue operation at the Dura-Du District, soldiers deployed were warned not to eat and drink anything from the community for fear of being poisoned. Hence, soldiers were fed from the barracks throughout the duration of the operation. At the onset of task, on 20 September 2018, hired protesters made up of women from Lafande community and beyond were mobilized in their hundreds to protest against the evacuation of water in the abandoned mining pit.

The women claimed that the evacuation of water in the abandoned mining pit would spiritually affect their children by making them to fall sick and their husbands would die. The protest by the women was therefore seen as an attempt to prevent army from showing the whole world the heinous crimes the community had committed over the years which were still on-going before now. After the cordon and search operation, some people were apprehended. Those who were apprehended were those who witnessed or heard about the incident but failed to report to the nearest security agency. Also apprehended were those who were at the scene of the incident as at the time the senior officer was killed.  It should be noted that some were released and others paraded and handed over to the Nigerian Police for further investigation.

The Army revealed “having pumped the water from the abandoned mining pit for 2 weeks or thereabout despite protests by women attributing all kinds of mythical affliction  that would befall their husbands and children, the following were recovered:

1. On 21 September 2018, recovery of a door of a white bus.

1. On 29 September 2018, a black Toyota Corolla Car with registration number KWARA MUN 670 AA, a customized T-Shirt with Nigerian Army Logo and the General’s name inscribed on it, as well as a pair of canvass shoe belonging to the deceased senior officer.

1. On 2 October 2018, a white Toyota LiteAce bus with registration number PLATEAU RYM 307 XA, which was reported missing with the driver   on 24 June 2018 and a red Rover car with registration number BAUCHI AG 645 TRR which was allegedly reported to have been buried along with the occupants on 31 January 2013”There exist other evidence and indicators that pointed to the fact that those who were involved in the killing of the senior officer are being supported and backed by community leaders within the Dura-Du District.  In recent times, they have been staging press conferences and writing petitions in order to smear the image of the Division in particular and the Nigerian Army in general.

Therefore, the following people at large have been declared wanted by the relevant authority based on their degree of culpability in the killing of the senior officer:

1. Da Chuwang Samuel ( aka MORINHO).  He    is 28 years old and a panel beater by profession. He hails from Doi Du village area of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. He was believed to be the master mind in the assault and killing of Major General Idris Alkali.
2. Mr Nyam Samuel (aka  SOFT TOUCH).   He    is 25 years old and a panel beater by profession as well as younger brother of “Morinho”. He was believed to have been involved in the assault and killing of the senior officer.
3. Mr Pam Gyang Dung ( aka BOSS). He hails from Latya 2 Doi Du Village in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. His profession is farming and mining. He is also the Mai Anguwa of Latya 2.  “Boss” who is 53 years old is a friend to “Morinho”. He was also believed to be involved in the killing of Major General Idris Alkali.
4. Mr Mathew Wrang (aka AMESCO). He     is 27 years old.  In addition, one locally made pistol was recovered from his house during cordon and search operation.
5. Mr Moses Gyang (aka BOSS).  He is Pam Gyang Dung, aka “Boss” son. He is 25 years old.
6. Mr Timothy Chuan.  He is 26 years old. He is a tipper driver and also a sand vendor by profession. He was identified to have driven the senior officer’s car to Dura village and subsequently pushed it into the abandoned mining pit filled with water.
7. Da Yakubu Rap. He is 52 years old and the district head of Dura village. He co – chaired the meeting held to relocate the corpse of the senior officer from a shallow grave to elsewhere immediately his car was found in the abandoned mining pit filled with water.
8. Mr Chuwang Istifanus Pwajok Stephen (aka TIFA). He is 46 years old and a surveyor/business man by profession. He participated in the meeting held to relocate the corpse of the senior officer from a shallow grave to elsewhere after his car was found in the abandoned mining pit filled with water@” army stated.

With the revelation of horrendous acts of Berom people and the suspects who are of the same religion with the silence of hitherto rabble-rousers religious leaders, one cannot but conclude that the dastard massacre in Jos and other places have full involvement of these blood-sucking religious and community leaders. Therefore, the Nigerian army and other security agents should henceforth apprehend all religious and community leaders suspected to have participated in instigation of violence or involved in violence anywhere in the country. Until then, the awful eliminations of innocent souls by wicked people will not stop.

As the nation was looking forward to the discovery of remains of Gen. Idris Alkali who was cruelly murdered by presumed religious fanatics, on October 17, 2018 there was another report of how minor disagreement in Kaduna led to spontaneous attacks and counter-attacks by the two leading religious zealots. Several people were feared killed while scores of others were injured when Muslims and Christians clashed on that fateful day at Kasuwan Magani community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The clash was said to have started about 6p.m. A native of the community revealed that the latest crisis started when a young man was caught stealing in the market and was being beaten when some youths belonging to the same religious faith with the suspected thief rose in his defence. They allegedly attacked those beating the suspected thief. He said: “The whole thing turned to a religious fight between Muslims and Christians as they started using dangerous weapons to attack each other and setting houses belonging to each side ablaze. The atrocious acts could not have happened if the religious and community leaders have not lent support to their children and subjects.

The lip service to love your neighbour and that you are not yet a believer until you love your neighbours as yourself being preached by most religious leaders on special occasions are therefore needed to be inculcated both in saying and practice in order to nib the crisis in the bud. However, the pro-active steps taken by the Kaduna State Government whereby the community leaders were held responsible for damages of properties and lives seemed to be effective as the crisis significantly subdued due to the policy and curfew imposed on the violent communities and rampaging youths. Due to its numerous advantages in curbing unprovoked future attacks, any community where violence breaks henceforth should have its leaders held responsible for loss of lives as well as renovation and compensation of the affected people and properties. Then

Rights and Freedom Advocates noted that the Shi’ites terrorism in Abuja on Sunday 28^th October, 2018 was another smear on the fragile peace in the country. The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) otherwise known as Shi’ites have been on perennial rampage even before their leaders were arrested on December 17, 2015 during a clash with military officers on duty. A video clip showed how the Shi’ites mobilized on October 28, 2018 to Abuja from Zaria and other places on mission best known to them. The people of the areas, where the Sect has strong base, have continually exposed the group hostile tendency and lawless attitude to constituted authorities. Even if its leaders were incarcerated due to the followers’ misdemeanour and aggression on innocent citizens, should stoning and attacking security agents be the next alternative way to ensure release of its leaders in detention? Nowhere in the world has violent ever resolved crisis. Therefore, Shi’ites should learn how to seek redress through peaceful means. Similarly, RIFA opine that the government should obey court judgement on release of the sect leaders in detention and find a lasting solution to the face-off with the Shi’ites.

Luqman Soliu

President,

Rights and Freedom Advocates (RIFA)

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