Ademiluyin Condemns Wanton Destruction Of Lives And Property Koshinsha LGA, Benue State

Lagos based legal Practitioner and Secretary of Eti-Osa Bar Forum has condemn in it’s entirety the wanton destruction of lives in seven local governments

He decries the killings, destruction allegedly being perpetrated by the Military officer who go bay the hi

Below is the statement by Ayo Ademiluyin made available to newsmen

I write to condemn the incessant destruction of lives and properties in no fewer than seven communities of Shangev-Tiev in Konshisha LGA of Benue State.

I am seized of media reports that in the last 3 days, men of the Nigeria military under the ‘Operation Whirl Stroke’ have launched series of attacks on unarmed civilian population in over 7 communities in Shangev-Tiev, killing and displacing residents including children, women and the elderly.

I am aware that the mayhem which was reportedly provoked by an attack on a military convoy by armed bandits who terrorize the area, has since witnessed a misplaced reprisal attack by soldiers with heavy gunfire on unarmed civilians around the area, using both aerial and ground troops to cause colossal destruction.

I am also aware that alhough the bandits reportedly fled immediately after attacking the military convoy, the surrounding communities who needed help from the Nigeria military to get rid of the bandits, the civilian population are the ones now paying with their lives and properties, to the extent of becoming displaced persons in their own State.

I am seized of reports that Gungul, Aku and Mbaakpuur communities are being razed down by the Nigerian soldiers. I am aware that these communities are over 30 kilometers away from the scene where military personnel were reportedly attacked by bandits.

I condemn the action of the Nigerian Army . I demand the immediate withdrawal of the military troops from the affected communities, immediate provision of relief materials to the affected and displaced persons, compensation of the affected communities and prosecution of the military men involved in such heinous and criminal act.

I am also seized of the Press Release issued by
Brigadier General ONYEMA NWACHUKWU,
Acting Director, Defence Information on 9th April, 2021 for the Nigerian Army. In the said press statement, the Nigerian Army that “Operation Whirl Stroke” supervised by the Defence Headquarters have been keeping peace between two warring communities , Bonta and Oju over boundary demarcation.

I am also aware from the statement of the Nigerian Army that 72 Special Forces Battalion troops deployed on the Oju side of the boundary and troops of the Battalion were on their way to replenish their colleagues on 5 April 2021 when they were attacked by armed bandits at Bonta in Konshisha. I am also aware from the statement that the troops who were under command of a Captain were seized at a checkpoint mounted by the so called “Bonta Boys” and taken into Konshisha forest where they were all brutally murdered. I am also aware that the bandits not satisfied with killing the soldiers proceeded to burn all the eleven soldiers and their officer beyond recognition while their weapons and ammunition were carted away.

I am also aware from the statement that military reinforcements were dispatched to Bonta the following morning with the reinforcement coming under attack from close to 500 armed youths who by this time had fully occupied Bonta, suggesting that the armed bandits were joined by bandits from other parts of Konshisha LGA.

I am also aware that the statement claimed that the military repelled the attack after more than 4 hours of intense fighting during which military helicopter provided close air support to ground troops.

I am also aware that the military claimed responsibility for the death of 10 ( Ten )armed bandits who were killed during the fight with the rifle of one of the “Killed in action” soldiers recovered from the bandits who fell casualty during the exchange of fire.




However , I find the statement of the Nigerian Army that troops repelled the attacks on the bandits by destroying the “abandoned homes” of fleeing civilians as reprehensible.

I condemn the demand of the Nigerian Army on the civilian population in the affected communities that “in addition to the return of all carted away weapons, the local leaders of Konshisha must bring the main actors responsible for the mayhem to security forces to face justice…(sic)…(that) …they must also surrender all other weapons in their possession”.

While I agree that it is correct for the military to state that “it will not tolerate the jungle justice attitude and dastardly acts leading to the gruesome murder of patriotic soldiers on legitimate duty to keep the peace” but this anger must not be visited on civilian populations to produce what the Nigerian Army cannot ascertain is in their custody with loud threats

On the whole, I am of the view that the ongoing war against insurgency , banditry and terrorism which is fast spreading from the familiar North-east to the South-East, South-South and now to the North-Central only confirms my long-held submission that without putting an end to poverty and unemployment , which have jumped by 33.3 percent, there cannot be end to all this malaise.