The group said this happened while the council was still mourning the death of over 200 people residents who died during the terrorist attacks that happened around the Christmas period in the council.
Some protesting women on Friday afternoon set ablaze the house of Michal Monday Adanchi, the District Head of Bokkos town in the state's Bokkos Local Government Area, over the arrest of some residents of the community for allegedly being involved in the attacks and killing of two Fulani men in the community.
According to a statement made available to SaharaReporters by Christopher Luka Tulladem, the Youth President in Bokkos Local Government Area, the angry women stormed the traditional ruler’s residence, the Special Task Force command office, and the Bakkos Divisional Police Officer's office to express their displeasure over the serial arrests of Bokkos indigenes following the discovery of two Fulani corpses by unidentified persons in the council.
The statement added that the operatives of the Nigerian Army had been brutalising the residents of the community since Wednesday when the death of the unknown Fulani men was discovered.
The statement read in part: “Since the sad event happened, we have witnessed continuous arrest, detention, and brutalisation of victims who managed to escape the horror of the attackers. In most cases, these victims have suffered incapacitation and bullet wounds from the same army who are supposed to protect them.
“The rate of this violation has taken a dramatic dimension since Wednesday 3rd January, 2024 with the continuous dehumanising and brutal treatment meted out on our youths (All of Christian Faith and IDPs) on account of a corpse suspected to be a Fulani found somewhere. While we condemn all criminality in whatever guise, we are quick to mention here that the manner of operation by the military seems to target a particular faith.”
The group said this happened while the council was still mourning the death of over 200 people residents who died during the terrorist attacks that happened around the Christmas period in the council.
The statement continued: “While we still mourn the death of over two hundred people in Bokkos (All of Christian Faith) over the attacks the military in Bokkos failed to contain, even when they had prior intelligence from the Governor of the State (As mentioned by Senator Abdullah Ningi on the floor of the National Assembly), the failure to make any substantial arrest even after it happened is a matter of concern to us. We are shocked to see the manner of dehumanizing and brutal treatment meted out to these innocent people over the alleged killing of a Fulani.”
As a result, the statement demanded the immediate release of the inhabitants of the community detained by the Nigerian Army, as well as the treatment of those injured as a result of the military's brutality.
The statement added, "We are fast losing our confidence in the Nigerian Military to be fair to all. Again, we must add that these attacks happened in our villages, currently, our people cannot access their farms to irrigate their farms, we thought the military would have carried out clearance operations in those villages so that people could at least access their farms, but the issue is the reverse.
"The concentration of the military is in Bokkos town, showing their might on the victims of attacks while the remnants and crops of the victims are either looted or burnt by the terrorists.
Given the above, we call for the following:
“The President, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. C.G. Musa, Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, to immediately direct the release of those incarcerated by the military and order for the treatment of those the military incapacitated (some were last seen with various degree of gunshot injuries and handcuffed in JUTH under the watch of the heavy military).
“The President should set up a high-powered committee to investigate the numerous cases of human abuses by the military and punish those found culpable.
“The President should review the recruitment of officers and men of the military within the last eight years. Our findings have shown that the majority of the men on the ground belong to a particular faith and seem to sympathize with their fellows against upholding the oath of their duty of being fair to all Nigerians. The young officers yesterday threatened to shoot a Father who approached a Senior Officer at their base to complain about the brutality meted out to his son. This is one among many cases.
“The memory of our slain youths by the same military in 2016 is still fresh in our memory.
If we have lost confidence in the last regime to protect us, you must right the wrongs of the previous administration by carrying out your primary responsibility with utmost priority to gain back our confidence as a Nation.
“That the Inspector General of Police should order the immediate removal of the Divisional Police Officer from Bokkos. His continues resistance to transfer amid these attacks without bringing any soluti leaves us in doubt about his integrity. He must be investigated. It is alleg that he has worked to reverse several transfers on him. What is hy benefitting? This is a matter that demands urgent investigation.
When SaharaReporters contacted via telephone conversation the state police command spokesperson, DSP Alabo Alfred for his reaction, he said, “I can’t talk to you now, we are in a meeting.”
SaharaReporters had also reported how the police in Plateau State said that their personnel arrested eight suspects in connection with a massacre that happened in the state a few days ago.
Confirming the arrest, Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, had said the eight suspects were arrested following a tip-off by members of the affected communities.
The police spokesperson said that the eight suspects were being interrogated at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
Alabo said, “Some people have been arrested and they are in custody undergoing interrogation.
“As of the last count, they were eight in number. But at the moment, the affected communities and villages are relatively calm and our men are on ground to ensure that the peace that has been restored is maintained.”
On Monday, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, said the Nigerian military had arrested some suspected believed to be responsible for the Christmas Eve massacre in the two local government areas.