Politics
Reps To Investigate Alleged Asault By Military Officers On Gboko Residents
By Iyojo Ameh
The House of Representatives is set to investigate assault on residents of Gboko, Benue state allegedly by the military officers of the 401 Special Forces Brigade of the Nigerian Army.
The military is to brief House about actions currently taken by military authorities to investigate the unprovoked assault on residents of Gboko, including Hon. Kpam Jimin Sokpo and the shooting to death of two persons in Gboko on 18 March 2023 as well as mandate the Committee on Army to ensure compliance and report to the House within two weeks.
This was sequel to a motion moved in the floor by Hon.
During delibration the House informed that the primary duties and obligation of the Nigerian Army as enshrined in Section 217 subsection (2) (a)-(d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) is to defend Nigeria from external aggression; maintain its territorial integrity, suppress insurrection and aid civil authorities to restore order subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.
The House further notes that the operational use of the Armed Forces in Nigeria is for the purpose of maintaining and securing public safety and public order which are in accordance with Section 8 (3) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap.
The lawmakers stated “A20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; Concerned about the worsening spate of military and police brutality, extra-judicial killings by security
The lawmakers also expressed worried about the unfortunate incidence of last Saturday being March 18th 2023 at Old Barn Hotel, Gboko in Benue State,at about 2:30 am, where some officets of 401 Division of the Nigerian Army viciously assaulted and brutalized several persons and guests who were staying peafully in the Hotel.
“The House also raise concerned that these military men, numbering over 20 stormed the hotel in Nigerian Army trucks and dressed in military uniforms but without any identifiers such as name tags, any form of personal identity or ranks;
Disturbed that the military men ordered all persons within view to move, gather in groups and squat on the ground without explanation such cruel and inhuman treatment; Also worried that in the course of obeying the Army Officers’ commands, one of the soldiers accosted the Honourable and slapped him,“ the motion said Hon Gbilah said that despite introducing himself as a serving member of the House of Representatives, the soldier rather poured more invectives on the Honourable and ordered his subordinates to slap him and in an attempt to defend himself from the unprovoked assault, about 20 soldiers pounced on him and others with guns and brutally assaulted them, this resulted in serious injuries on his head, face, shoulders, chest, back, both arms, and legs.
Lawmakers were equally disturbed that this same team of soldiers were allegedly responsible for the extra judicial killings of at least two (2) persons in Gboko in two (2) separate accossions on the same day; More disturbed that since the attack, several media outfits were awash with defamatory reports and images falsely linking the assault on a lawmaker over allaged involvement in Electoral violence;.
The House therefore agreed to condemn the assault on the Hotel and its guests by the Nigerian Army.
While calling on the Chiefs of Defense and Army Staff to immediately commence a comprehensive investigation of the incidents.
Lawmakers also resolved to invite the Chiefs of Defense and Army Staff to appear before the House to explain the circumstances behind the unprovoked attack and why these military officers did not carry proper identification or inform the civilians about their mission and explain the military’s rules of engagement during election monitoring and other engagements with the civilian population, especially considering the extrajudicial killing of two young men in Gboko by the same 401 Special Forces Brigade on 18th March 2023 for alleged ballot snatching.