The Taraba State Government and groups, including Middle Belt organisations, on Sunday rejected the report of a panel set by the Nigerian Army to investigate the allegation levelled against soldiers by a former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. T.Y. Danjuma (retd.).

The state government and groups stated this in separate interviews with The PUNCH, while commenting on the report submitted by the panel on Friday


Danjuma had, in March, advised Nigerians to defend themselves, saying soldiers were not neutral in the killings allegedly being perpetrated by armed Fulani herdsmen.

He said soldiers colluded with the bandits to kill people.

The 10-man army panel, which was inaugurated on April 9, by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, had dismissed Danjuma’s claims and asked the elder statesman to take caution.


The panel said in its report, “There was no collusion on the part of the army and units operating in Taraba State with any bandit as stated by Danjuma. There was good collaboration, synergy and cooperation between the army and other security agencies operating in the state.

“Most of the crises in Taraba are politically motivated and some persons are deliberately escalating the situation for selfish gains. With respect to the statement by Danjuma, it is clear that the allegations are not true. Hence, there is need to urge for caution on the part of the elder statesman, in view of the security implications of such comments.”


Army can’t be a judge in own case –Taraba govt

But the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Taraba State on Media and Publicity, Mr. Bala Dan-Abu, told one of our correspondents in a telephone interview that the state government rejected the report in its entirety.

Bala noted that what the army did was simply to take the position of a judge in its own case.


He stated, “The allegations were made against the army and what we expected them to do was to set up an independent panel to investigate the allegations and not to assemble their men to give them justice in their own case.

“The armed forces should set up a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the allegations if they must be taken seriously.

“The allegation that the army is colluding with the armed herdsmen to kill Nigerians was not only made by retired Lt.Gen. T.Y. Danjuma and the Taraba State Government, but the Amnesty International too accused the Army of complicity in the killings, so they cannot deny that.

“The Army was the one that set up the committee, provided terms of reference and received the report from the panel. No one was invited to review the report of the panel. They sat on the report and came up with their findings, so what do you expect?” he asked.

Report, window dressing –Jukun group

On his part, the National Youth Leader of the Jukun Development Association, Mr. Zando Hoku, rejected the report, describing it as window dressing. He said it was meant to appease the powers that be.

“We, the Jukun, have rejected the report. However, we are not surprised because we saw it coming.


“The evidence of collusion is so glaring for all to see. We are on the ground and we knew all that had happened, but the Army was the judge in its own case and it did what was pleasing to it,” he said.

Army deceiving the world –Tiv Group

Reacting to the panel report, the President-General of the Tiv Cultural and Social Association Taraba State, Chief Goodman Dahida, said the army was deceiving the world.


According to him, the army was the one accused of colluding with bandits to kill Nigerians and wondered why it still presided over the investigation.

“We expected the army to have set up an independent joint civil and army committee to investigate the allegations to prove to Nigerians and the world the truth or otherwise of the allegations.


“We reject the report and call on the army to revisit the allegations which were not just in Taraba, but other states of the federation,” he said.

CD, CDHR back Danjuma, say army panel not thorough

Also, two civil society organisations, the Campaign for Democracy and the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, knocked the army panel over its findings and for not being representative, noting that an “independent and judicial panel” ought to look at Danjuma’s claims.


The CD President, Usman Abdul, said, “The army will always be in a perpetual denial. Let us be clear and emphatic. Twelve or 11 soldiers were killed in Kaduna State and there was an initial denial. Look at what is happening in Taraba. How can the army claim that none of its personnel was involved in all the anomalies going on there?

“The person who made these claims was once a defence minister, a former Chief of Army Staff and we know he was not speaking from a position of ignorance. He is in the political circle and he has information on issues in the state.


“The panel to investigate the Taraba incident should not be an army affair. It should comprise the civil society organisations and other critical stakeholders in and outside the state.”

Also the CDHR President, Malachy Ugwummadu said, “Danjuma’s comments were a wake-up call and the army conducted itself rightly to set up a panel to verify those allegations. However, in doing that, they breached one of the pillars of justice which is that nobody can be a judge in his own affairs.


“The outcome of a predominantly military panel will always be suspicious. This is why the army is arousing the curiosity of Nigerians with their going into investigations without a genuine intention to get the details or facts of the matter. What would have been ideal in the Taraba matter is a judicial panel of inquiry which comprises professionals.


http://punchng.com/taraba-mbelt-groups-reject-army-panel-report-on-danjumas-allegation/

Who else noticed the Army no longer accords the respect it used to have?
Its now on same level with the Police, Red cross, youth corpers etc...

Once again we have lost another great Security outfit to the hands of partisan politics

Ahaha army losing credibility. As for me the day a soldier tried stoning me in the evening at yaba was the day I lost any iota of respect and regard for that uniform...

Even a child knows that the Nigerian military under the command of buhari have failed abysmally to protect the lives and properties of Nigeria people .

fulani herdsmen have beaten the killing record set by bokoharam only for buhari to tell us that they are Gaddafi trained militias and their sponsors made to walk free.

The Nigeria Army has lost its respect from most Nigerians

The army is not neutral and is hardly every neutral in cases like these. But I have no sympathy for Danjuma. As Defence Minister, he used his position to support his people in the then crisis between the Tivs and Jukun around 2000/2001.

This is his Karma.

Those who are in charge now and are fuelling this crisis should await theirs. It'll visit them in their own way.

The Nigerian Army should be scrapped & replaced with the NSCDC. And that snake-charming bastard always doing push-ups for the camera should be demoted & dismissed as the COAS.

This is Y Boko Haram have been killing them like cockroaches. No honour, No Integrity & No Value.

Until the army desists from indulging in partisan politics, it will continue to remain the butt of everyone's silly jokes.

This Government is incorrigible.

Wetin concern me. The money wey I go use travel out of this jungle don almost complete.

Is like sarrki is tired of hiding behind his other monikers or has now works for iPod.

Hhhhgf

CodeTemplar:
Is like sarrki is tired of hiding behind his other monikers or has now works for iPod.

I no know oo. But haven't been seeing him around recently. Him and most of the BMC crew appear to have been abducted by cow-phucking aliens

AAlozie:
Wetin concern me. The money wey I go use travel out of this jungle don almost complete.

Nwannem na the same plan me and you get oooOh!!!
Am already pissed off with this jungle called Nigeria.

nnachukz:

The problems with Nigeria are as follows;

1). Boko-Haram
2). Unemployment
3). Herdsmen
4). Armed Robbery
5). Recession
6). Insecurity

Check the first CAPITAL letters of numbers 1 - 6 ��� and you will know why it’s happening.
Get your PVC now. This nonsense must stop in 2019.

JESUS

Lol

Only in Nigeria

AAlozie:
Wetin concern me. The money wey I go use travel out of this jungle don almost complete.

I hope you no wan carry money give any fraudster called agent?

nnachukz:

The problems with Nigeria are as follows;

1). Boko-Haram
2). Unemployment
3). Herdsmen
4). Armed Robbery
5). Recession
6). Insecurity

Check the first CAPITAL letters of numbers 1 - 6 ��� and you will know why it’s happening.
Get your PVC now. This nonsense must stop in 2019.

This is your own opinion but as for me I have already gotten my PVC to vote Buhari again

Sh!thole country and !diotic and useless army!

Needless to reject the report which itself is a tacit admission of TY’s observation to the effect that given the NA’s lack of capacity citizens ought to defend themselves.

If the army is found guilty, then Mr President is also guilty because he is the commander in chief of the armed forces. A civilized society ought to revolt against this act of wickedness and kick him out of office. The truth is clear but Nigerians don't want to speak for fear of being arrested. May God save Nigeria.

Believe this, you'll believe anything -James Hadley Chase

..there was a report last your or so, soldiers set up to protect villagers in school abandon them for fulani herdsmen to kill them all in the middle of the night.
instead of arresting fulani herdsmen they arrest the local vigilante that the villagers set up to protect themselves.

the sultan of sokoto, buhari and obama are terrorist.

TonyeBarcanista:
I hope you no wan carry money give any fraudster called agent?

For where? My brother dey Europe already na

This is how to resist manipulations

MaziEDOZIE:


Nwannem na the same plan me and you get oooOh!!!
Am already pissed off with this jungle called Nigeria.

Bro, there's no future for most youths in this country o. My future wife and kids need a sane environment to live in