· DHQ dismisses reports of mass graves
· Northern elders demand redeployment of military
commander
commander
· Falana urges FG to order NHRC to probe extra-judicial killings
President Goodluck Jonathan has offered the federal government’s assistance to
Borno State to rebuild Baga, a border town in the state in which between 36 and
190 people were killed in a gun duel between troops of the Multinational Task
Force (MTF) and Boko Haram insurgents penultimate weekend.
A presidency source
confided in THISDAY at the weekend that the presidential offer was one of the
decisions reached during a closed-door meeting held at the State House, Abuja,
on Friday between Jonathan and Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima.
confided in THISDAY at the weekend that the presidential offer was one of the
decisions reached during a closed-door meeting held at the State House, Abuja,
on Friday between Jonathan and Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima.
Although the agenda of
the meeting was not made public, it was learnt that the governor came to Abuja
to update the president on the incident in Baga, where the displaced residents
were still trying to pick up the pieces of their lives after the orgy of
killings and destruction in their town.
the meeting was not made public, it was learnt that the governor came to Abuja
to update the president on the incident in Baga, where the displaced residents
were still trying to pick up the pieces of their lives after the orgy of
killings and destruction in their town.
As the controversy
over the actual death toll in the incident rages, a fact-finding team
constituted by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, to
ascertain the exact casualty figures, has presented its findings in which it
said contrary to reports and allegations by some northern leaders, no mass
grave was found after two days of searching in the town.
over the actual death toll in the incident rages, a fact-finding team
constituted by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, to
ascertain the exact casualty figures, has presented its findings in which it
said contrary to reports and allegations by some northern leaders, no mass
grave was found after two days of searching in the town.
But the Northern
Elders’ Forum (NEF) yesterday faulted the military high command’s account of
the incident and made a case for the redeployment of the MTF commander as well
as the withdrawal of the multinational troops.
Elders’ Forum (NEF) yesterday faulted the military high command’s account of
the incident and made a case for the redeployment of the MTF commander as well
as the withdrawal of the multinational troops.
However, a Lagos-based
lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has urged the federal
government to direct the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to investigate
the Baga massacre and all cases of extra-judicial killings in the course
of the anti-terror war to avoid government officials being reported to the
International Criminal Court (ICC) for conspiracy and crimes against humanity.
lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has urged the federal
government to direct the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to investigate
the Baga massacre and all cases of extra-judicial killings in the course
of the anti-terror war to avoid government officials being reported to the
International Criminal Court (ICC) for conspiracy and crimes against humanity.
THISDAY learnt that
Shettima was at the State House on Friday to brief the president on the
destruction of lives and property in Baga and seek the assistance of the
federal government in re-settling victims.
Shettima was at the State House on Friday to brief the president on the
destruction of lives and property in Baga and seek the assistance of the
federal government in re-settling victims.
He also sought
financial assistance from the federal government so that the state could
upgrade its intervention in the beleaguered area, which has become the enclave
of the insurgents since 2009.
financial assistance from the federal government so that the state could
upgrade its intervention in the beleaguered area, which has become the enclave
of the insurgents since 2009.
Shettima, it was gathered, outlined the security challenges the
state was facing and ended his presentation with the situation in Baga, which
he said would require the federal government’s assistance to rehabilitate the
residents.
The presidency source said: “President Jonathan acquiesced to the request of
the governor whom he had taken a liking to after his visit to Borno and Yobe a
couple of weeks back.
state was facing and ended his presentation with the situation in Baga, which
he said would require the federal government’s assistance to rehabilitate the
residents.
The presidency source said: “President Jonathan acquiesced to the request of
the governor whom he had taken a liking to after his visit to Borno and Yobe a
couple of weeks back.
“The president agreed to do everything possible to rebuild Baga town and also
give the state some financial leverage to enhance its security operations
against the Boko Haram insurgency.”
Shettima, who attended the meeting with the president with an unidentified aide,
declined comments when State House correspondents approached him after the
meeting.
Dismissing the high
death toll reported in the media, the fact-finding team constituted by the CDS,
after a three-day visit to the town, said there was no evidence of mass graves
to justify the high death toll.
death toll reported in the media, the fact-finding team constituted by the CDS,
after a three-day visit to the town, said there was no evidence of mass graves
to justify the high death toll.
The Defence
Headquarters (DHQ), in a statement yesterday by the Director of Defence
Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said contrary to reports and
allegations from some northern leaders, no mass grave was found after two days
of search.
Headquarters (DHQ), in a statement yesterday by the Director of Defence
Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said contrary to reports and
allegations from some northern leaders, no mass grave was found after two days
of search.
It said the team,
which was led by the Defence Chief of Training and Operations, Major-Gen
Lawrence Ngubane, interacted with the commander, officers and troops of the MTF
as well as some community leaders, the police, aid workers and residents of the
town with a view to getting their accounts of the incident.
which was led by the Defence Chief of Training and Operations, Major-Gen
Lawrence Ngubane, interacted with the commander, officers and troops of the MTF
as well as some community leaders, the police, aid workers and residents of the
town with a view to getting their accounts of the incident.
It explained that the
team also went round the town interviewing those who participated or witnessed
the encounter between the terrorist group and the troops in a bid to ascertain
the casualty figure and the conduct of the troops.
team also went round the town interviewing those who participated or witnessed
the encounter between the terrorist group and the troops in a bid to ascertain
the casualty figure and the conduct of the troops.
“In its particular
concern to ascertain the claims of massive loss of lives, the team was taken to
cemeteries in the town as it tried to locate where the reported large number of
civilian casualties were buried.
concern to ascertain the claims of massive loss of lives, the team was taken to
cemeteries in the town as it tried to locate where the reported large number of
civilian casualties were buried.
“It however found no mass grave after nearly two days of
search,” it added.
The statement, quoting the report by the team, said: “The district head of
Baga, Alhaji Babagana Zanna, who was accompanied by the (immediate past) Kukawa
Local Government Area chairman, Alhaji Lawal Kone, while responding to
enquiries from the fact-finding team, told the members that he had not received
any report of mass burial in his domain.
“Kone, who was earlier quoted to have given some figures, said he was not in
the town during the incident and as such he did not know the number of
civilians who died in the incident.
search,” it added.
The statement, quoting the report by the team, said: “The district head of
Baga, Alhaji Babagana Zanna, who was accompanied by the (immediate past) Kukawa
Local Government Area chairman, Alhaji Lawal Kone, while responding to
enquiries from the fact-finding team, told the members that he had not received
any report of mass burial in his domain.
“Kone, who was earlier quoted to have given some figures, said he was not in
the town during the incident and as such he did not know the number of
civilians who died in the incident.
“Earlier, MTF
Commander, Brig-Gene Austin Edokpayi, who briefed the team on how the operation
was conducted, said the situation in the town had stabilised until the arrival
of some politicians and government officials who addressed the community,
making a series of allegations, which raised fresh tensions.
Commander, Brig-Gene Austin Edokpayi, who briefed the team on how the operation
was conducted, said the situation in the town had stabilised until the arrival
of some politicians and government officials who addressed the community,
making a series of allegations, which raised fresh tensions.
“He added that they were the ones behind the campaign of the
high death toll, which was being levelled to discredit the military.
“Edokpayi had explained that the operation was only targeted at stopping
Boko Haram terrorists who had established a pattern of burning buildings and
property as a mode of operation in the area.
high death toll, which was being levelled to discredit the military.
“Edokpayi had explained that the operation was only targeted at stopping
Boko Haram terrorists who had established a pattern of burning buildings and
property as a mode of operation in the area.
“He had cited instances of how the terrorists used arson as a
terror tool in communities such as Duguri, Metele and Kangarwa where they
operated recently.
“Edokpayi also briefed the team on details of the casualties recorded during
the encounter, stating that some civilians who were wounded were treated at the
task force medical facility and were subsequently discharged.”
terror tool in communities such as Duguri, Metele and Kangarwa where they
operated recently.
“Edokpayi also briefed the team on details of the casualties recorded during
the encounter, stating that some civilians who were wounded were treated at the
task force medical facility and were subsequently discharged.”
But faulting the
military’s account of the Baga incident, the northern elders queried the
rationale for involving troops from foreign countries in the anti-terror
campaign and demanded the redeployment of the troops’ commander.
military’s account of the Baga incident, the northern elders queried the
rationale for involving troops from foreign countries in the anti-terror
campaign and demanded the redeployment of the troops’ commander.
Their spokesman,
Professor Ango Abdullahi, expressing concern over the involvement of foreign
troops in fighting terror in Nigeria, explained that it would be dangerous for
Nigeria to align with any country that appears to nurse a phobia for Islam.
Professor Ango Abdullahi, expressing concern over the involvement of foreign
troops in fighting terror in Nigeria, explained that it would be dangerous for
Nigeria to align with any country that appears to nurse a phobia for Islam.
Abdullahi, who had
spoken in Bauchi last week, was reacting to a statement credited to the
military authorities that the Baga incident that led to the killings of
civilians was conducted in conjunction with troops from Nigeria, Niger and
Chad.
spoken in Bauchi last week, was reacting to a statement credited to the
military authorities that the Baga incident that led to the killings of
civilians was conducted in conjunction with troops from Nigeria, Niger and
Chad.
He said people were
suspicious that Nigeria was going into another multilateral agreement with
other countries on the security situation in the country, querying in what
forum, agency or level of discussion was the decision taken for military troops
from Niger and Chad to fire guns at Nigerians.
suspicious that Nigeria was going into another multilateral agreement with
other countries on the security situation in the country, querying in what
forum, agency or level of discussion was the decision taken for military troops
from Niger and Chad to fire guns at Nigerians.
He had expressed dismay that the Borno military commandant was
involved in the operation in which about 200 Nigerians were killed and
thousands of houses razed.
He recalled that some months ago, the commandant at the Jaji Military
Cantonment, Major General M.D. Isa, was not only posted out of Jaji but retired
for what was then described as his lapses in the Jaji bomb explosion.
involved in the operation in which about 200 Nigerians were killed and
thousands of houses razed.
He recalled that some months ago, the commandant at the Jaji Military
Cantonment, Major General M.D. Isa, was not only posted out of Jaji but retired
for what was then described as his lapses in the Jaji bomb explosion.
Also reacting to the
Baga incident, Falana, in a statement at the weekend, urged the federal
government to order the human rights commission to probe the death and
destruction in the town and other extra-judicial killings in the course of the
anti-terror war.
Baga incident, Falana, in a statement at the weekend, urged the federal
government to order the human rights commission to probe the death and
destruction in the town and other extra-judicial killings in the course of the
anti-terror war.
He said this was necessary so that the ICC would not add the
Baga case to the list of extra-judicial killings in Nigeria being probed by the
commission.
According to him, the ICC special prosecutor had previously confirmed that the
commission was investigating allegations of rampart extra-judicial killings in
Nigeria by security forces.
Baga case to the list of extra-judicial killings in Nigeria being probed by the
commission.
According to him, the ICC special prosecutor had previously confirmed that the
commission was investigating allegations of rampart extra-judicial killings in
Nigeria by security forces.
He said the
investigation was confirmed by the ICC Special Prosecutor, Mrs. Fatou Bensouda,
in an interview published in the August/September 2012 edition of the New
African Magazine when she said: “The OTP is currently conducting preliminary
examinations in a number of situations, including Afghanistan, Georgia, Guinea,
Columbia, Honduras, Korea and Nigeria.”
investigation was confirmed by the ICC Special Prosecutor, Mrs. Fatou Bensouda,
in an interview published in the August/September 2012 edition of the New
African Magazine when she said: “The OTP is currently conducting preliminary
examinations in a number of situations, including Afghanistan, Georgia, Guinea,
Columbia, Honduras, Korea and Nigeria.”
Falana explained that
the ongoing inquiry was sequel to a petition he had lodged with the special
prosecutor two years ago on behalf of the Socio-Economic and Accountability
Project (SERAP).
the ongoing inquiry was sequel to a petition he had lodged with the special
prosecutor two years ago on behalf of the Socio-Economic and Accountability
Project (SERAP).
Falana urged the
federal government to show the world that it does not condone extra-judicial
killings by ordering a probe into the Baga incident to avoid a situation
whereby some highly-placed public officers and security personnel are reported
to the ICC for conspiracy and crimes against humanity.
federal government to show the world that it does not condone extra-judicial
killings by ordering a probe into the Baga incident to avoid a situation
whereby some highly-placed public officers and security personnel are reported
to the ICC for conspiracy and crimes against humanity.
Source: Thisday
