Gen Danjuma’s accusation of military, the reality on ground – News Analysis
…Now that so-called owners of Nigeria, Obasanjo, IBB, Danjuma, have spoken – Social Media activists
*Plus success of security over criminals
*As DSS finally nabs weapons supplier for killings in Taraba, others
By Kemi Kasumu, General Editor
“I watched the General alarming that the military supported ethnic cleansing in Taraba by backing the killers of his people. Now that, as retired General he has chosen clearly that he stands on side of religion and ethnicity as against the expectation of him standing on the side of Nigeria and nothing but that, General Danjuma should have told the world the truth about those that were really killed on the Mambilla plateau if not Fulani men, defenceless women and children. Is that what the military rule of engagement inculcated in him? Was that how he fought the Civil War? 700 Fulani people killed you kept quiet enjoying the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to reel out its lies about the whole matter because you were satisfied, only for you to now seem to be opening up and unfairly accusing the military of complications and now inciting the people of Taraba to rise up and defend themselves; is that not a call to incitement to rebellion?” A respondent who was called upon to react to the Danjuma’s comment told The DEFENDER Saturday night.
The alarm on Saturday by former Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuman (Rtd) that people of Taraba and its environs should rise up and defend themselves as, according to him, “if you wait for the military to defend you, you will all die”, has raised dusts in certain quarters with many expressing mixed feelings over the declaration coming from a retired General of Danjuma’s status.
It would be recalled that General Danjuma, who was a one time Chief of Army Staff of this country, was accused for taking side with some Christian leaders including Brigadier General Zamani Lekwot (Rtd) in July 2017 when he featured prominently in what was described as Coalition of Retired Christian Generals and other elders like Chukwuemeka Ezeife, holding very sensitive press conference over the issue of Christian and Islamic Religious Knowledge (CRK and IRK).
The Danjuma’s involvement in the sectional press meeting made many think those Christian elders should have known why misinformation should be undesirable. The group set out mainly to tell how the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government came to office with singular intention of Islamising Nigeria through abolition of CRK, which on many occasions had been proved even by government agencies in charge of schools curriculum to be fallacy indescribable.
It would also be recalled that General Danjuma had been accused by Fulani leaders of his involvement in how over 700 Fulani men, defenceless women and children were massacred on the Mambilla plateau in Taraba State mid-2017 the same year he featured with people who publicly announced themselves as Retired Christian Generals raising false alarms against the Federal Government simply because, some of our respondents expressed dismay, he and his “group” believed the man on top of the government “is Fulani man that must be pulled down”. It would also be recalled that long time ago under Ibrahim Babangida regime, General Zamani Lekwot was indicted and imprisoned for a long time over the Zango-Kattaf masaccre of Muslims in his area of birth, attitude which many have expressed concerns must not be found with people that Nigeria had benefited much from Nigeria particularly through the discipline of the military. These two retired military figures with all the allegations handing on their necks were found to be prominently featured in the Coalition of the Retired Christian Generals and other elders.
General Danjuma, much as he is an elder in the state of Taraba, never uttered a word since after the Mambilla massacred, it was gathered, but his hands are not being correctly washed off the evil killings of those innocent people because he was said to be satisfied with misleading statements by Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) which merely dismissed the killing of over 700 Fulani as “mere clash between two ethnic groups and only 14 were killed on both sides.” It would also be recalled that based on that statement by CAN, even when a Fulani leader, known by all tribes and religious groups of Nigeria to be a straight forward person, Emir of Kano and former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, presented the facts of 700 Fulani killed in Danjuma’s Taraba and supported same claim with photos against what CAN gave to the press, not even the Nigerian Press did not take part in the huge attacks and character assassinations that were rained on his person and name.
Sane and patriotic Nigerians expected that General Danjuma would see himself above situation where he would be caught with people whose eyes and brains are beclouded with sentiments when it comes to matter of religion and ethnicity in a country that the Sardauna Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe founded on the tripod stand of “peace, unity and strength based on understanding of individual differences and learning how to relate based on understanding of those differences”. Up till the present, Danjuma is said not to have uttered any statement on the Mambilla massacre of the Fulani innocent men, women and children. Although, an unconfirmed source said he was well at home with the media hype that greeted the killings in Benue which was sought by CAN to brand Islam and Hausa/Fulani race of Nigeria as terrorist groups and so be stigmatized as such.
Saturday’s Convocation of Taraba State University, Jalingo, provided the former Defence Minister of Olusegun Obasanjo civilian regime the long awaited opportunity, it seemed, to issue a follow up to his comment at the Retired Christian Generals press conference over CRK/IRK CAN-incited imbroglio, which turned out to be a good time for him to “open up” after long silence of not talking about the Mambilla massacre of the 700 Fulani people. General Danjuma, who opened the ground after his decoration as Doctor of Letters (honourary consal) with a bumper donation of N100 million to the university’s project development, was said to have disappointed many patriotic citizens of the country that watched him live on television when all he could say about Taraba crisis was how officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces had connived with killers.
“I watched the General alarming that the military supported ethnic cleansing in Taraba by backing the killers of his people. Now that, as retired General he has chosen clearly that he stands on side of religion and ethnicity as against the expectation of him standing on the side of Nigeria and nothing but that, General Danjuma should have told the world the truth about those that were really killed on the Mambilla plateau if not Fulani men, defenceless women and children. Is that what the military rule of engagement inculcated in him? Was that how he fought the Civil War? 700 Fulani people killed you kept quiet enjoying the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to reel out its lies about the whole matter because you were satisfied, only for you to now seem to be opening up and unfairly accusing the military of complications and now inciting the people of Taraba to rise up and defend themselves; is that not a call to incitement to rebellion?
“You now talk about killings. Killings? Who were the killers? Okay, are you saying the military supported the indigenes of Taraba to kill those over 700 innocent Fulani people? Who do you think were the killers and why generalizing the cause of a problem as serious as killing of over 700 people on the Mambilla plateau or is General Danjuma now trying to tell us that, against the glaring facts on ground, those 700 killed were people he tried to describe as land owners and not those he would want to call the settlers the Fulani people? For him to be so ambiguous in commenting on the Taraba killings and yet went ahead to accuse the military of which he is a member of supporting killers, he has disappointed some of us very greatly,” a respondent who was called upon to react to the Danjuma’s comment told The DEFENDER Saturday night.
Lieutenant General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, according Abu Najakku in his article published in Daily Trust on Sunday July 18, 2017 needs no introduction.
“He is one of Nigeria’s illustrious retired army generals, no question about that. He and Nigeria loved each other and there was little or no role religion played in this love affair. He played a prominent role in the coup that brought General Yakubu Gowon to power. He fought in the Nigeria-Biafra civil war. After the assassination of General Murtala Muhammed, General Danjuma had been considered as a possible head of state until the then ruling junta settled for General Olusegun Obasanjo. Although he was bypassed for the highest leadership position in the country, General Danjuma remained a pillar of the Obasanjo regime until it handed political power to Alhaji Shehu Shagari in 1979. During the second coming of Obasanjo, Danjuma served as the country’s Minister of Defence. He hails from Takum in Taraba where his people, the Jukun, have had murderous running battles with the Kutebs. Fortunately, the Kutebs are Christians,” Najakku wrote.
In the article Abu Najakku continued, “That explains why for many Nigerians, General Danjuma’s statement alongside the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) made up of General Joshua Dogonyaro, Elder Moses Ihonde, Elder Shyngle Wigwe, Elder Solomon Asemota, Dr Chukwuemeka Azeife and other, alleging that a Jihad has been launched against Christians has come as a rude shock. Who launched the Jihad? When? Who leads it? How do you really Islamise Nigeria?” He asked Danjuma questions of which none has been answered.
He said, “According to General Danjuma and his group of misguided Christian elders, “the NCEF is alarmed at the audacity and impunity of Islamists in Nigeria to attempt to forcibly transform Nigeria from a democratic nation into an Islamic theocratic state.” How do you “forcibly transform” into an Islamic state a country whose Vice President is not just a Christian but a Pastor, the Speaker of its House of Representatives is a Christian and the chairman of its so called ruling party is also a Christian? Or has it come to Danjuma’s knowledge that these highly placed Christians have been or are going to be replaced with some Mullahs?
“The statement from Danjuma and company is in bad faith, coming weeks after what has been described as massacre of the Fulani in Mambilla, in his native Taraba state. Eye witness account, including testimony by a Nigerian Army General has revealed the pre-meditated annihilation of Fulani men, pregnant women and children, the wholesale torching of their settlements and the killing of their cattle, over which Danjuma has maintained sealed lips! The army general actually said Boko Haram insurgents would have been much more humane than these Mambilla evil attackers, and the general is not a Muslim! This notwithstanding, Danjuma and his gang of elders have gone to town with the propaganda of imaginary Jihad launched against Christians by only God knows who!
“I’m yet to see any useful purpose that Danjuma’s appalling alarm serves. I don’t know of any Christian that has been denied the study of CRK. This red herring by these Christian elders distracts citizens’ from holding the government accountable to its commitment to secure our country, reduce corruption, improve power supply and turn around the economy.
“I have listened to Cardinal John Onaiyekan who is certainly a more distinguished and more globally recognised Christian than Danjuma or Asemota or Ezeife and he said he had seen no evidence that this government has an Islamic agenda – and Onaiyekan should know.
“Has General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma now decided to defend Christians rather than the nation and the generality of its population? Is this general now reduced to a Christian leader?” Abu Najukka had written in his article published in Daily Trust on Sunday July 25, 2017.
Now that so-called owners of Nigeria, Obasanjo, IBB, Danjuma have spoken – Social Media activists
Also reacting to the Danjuma’s outburst, a social media activist, Afamefuna Chidume, reacting the statement “You must all rise and protect yourselves, before you all die. This is Ethinic cleansing, Army and Police have colluded with them to commit these henious crimes against humanity” said his take is that, “We will reply him without insults and releasing a bullet, this statement by respected General, remains reckless and unfounded, it is so appalling that it coming from him, this is sedition at its best, a man of his calibre who Nigeria gave so much should be careful with words, if Nigeria will ever go the way of Somalia like he stated, he will be the first casualty, with his multi-billion dollar investments scattered everywhere, we must watch it in this country, we must avoid fanning embers of disunity with our inflammatory statements ,this statement and by TY is one too many and pregnant, this is one man, when he talks, he invokes fear, it is now complete, the so called owners of Nigeria have all spoken, trio of IBB,OBJ AND TY, nothing is left again progressives, we must take our destinies into our hands and stand with Buhari, for we are the prime movers of our own destinies, an unfortunate statement indeed！we must not join issues with him, bitter truth we must move on immediately, even after all said and done, in all fairness to him, TY do not talk anyhow, the onus lies on the government to clear these insinuations from him, God bless Nigeria.”
Commenting, Murray Edwads said, “It is all about 2019 and the protection of their pot of soup. Did all these massacres across the region start today? On what basis has it now become an ethnic cleansing? Is it because the President is Fulani?”
Nuhu Mohammed said, “The fear of the unknown, is making some people jittering to the extent of making senseless statements.. President Muhammad Buhari is working. Baba till 2023.”
Oluremi Aluko Marshal dished out a big one, “Comrade, T.y has sudden woken up from his deep slumber after realizing that his free hand in the oil sector has been curtailed, even the oil blocks he acquired fraudulently are been investigated and soonest, he would be called to question, however I strongly wish the federal government will step up this area of security of life’s and property across the nation so that people like the corrupt leader of the coalitionist, oil merchant-cum political militant T.Y Danjuma,A Brutal sadist will not continue to fan the Amber’s of disunity, hatred amongst Nigerians for their selfish reasons, we shall continue to join issues with fact’s at our disposal with all the Political, Economic Enemies of this redemption government no matter who they are and where they come from, But one thing is clear, The progressives are formidable enough to mix it up politically at the appropriate Time, This redemption government will not be stampeded by any Third forces, coalitionist, political militants in its quest in Taking this country out of the Economic, political jungle it has been kept for sooo loong by few Economic, political opportunist masquerading as STATESMEN.
…The reality on ground with DSS’ successful outing nabbing suppliers of guns to killers in Taraba, Benue, others
The Department of State Service (DSS) had arrested some gunrunners in some states around the country.
The arrest came as security agencies across board intensify efforts to apprehend criminals in the country.
According to Tony Opuiyo of the DSS, “In furtherance of tactical operations to stem activities of criminal elements across states of the federation, the DSS wishes to inform the public that it has, within the last 10 days in the month of March 2018, apprehended the following key members of kidnapping, gunrunning and banditry syndicates operating across the states of Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba and Benue.
“On March 13, 2018, about 1220 hours, at Wukari town in Wukari Local Government Area, Taraba State, service tactical team apprehended a notorious gunrunner, Jonah Abbey aka Jonah Idi alongside his driver, Agyo Saviour aka Dan-Wase. Abbey has been on the wanted list of the service for the last 10 years over arms and ammunition trade.
“He has been servicing criminal groups in Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Rivers, Imo, Anambra, Plateau, Nasarawa, and Benue/Taraba axis, including the notorious criminal syndicate led by Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana in Benue State.
“Recent intelligence indicated that Abbey moved arms and ammunition from Konduga in Borno State into Taraba State through his driver, Saviour.
“It may be noted that the suspect has entrenched his criminal activities in different parts of the country and as earlier mentioned, has clients especially in Plateau, Ebonyi, Cross River, Enugu and Bayelsa States, among others. Indications are that he sources arms from the Republic of Cameroon and parts of the North-east of Nigeria.
“A similar operation on March 15, 2018, about 0500 hours, at Chiwarna Hotel, Angwan Rogo by Bauchi road, Jos North Local Government Area, by the service tactical team led to the arrest of a high profile kidnap kingpin, Lawal Ibrahim (a.k.a Alhaji Awalu). The suspect was arrested alongside his cohorts namely Ado Saleh and Bayero Adamu.
“The syndicate was responsible for the killing of a personnel of the service in the state, Daanan Balgnan, on December 30, 2017 and was involved in other high profile kidnap incidents in Plateau and neighbouring states of Nasarawa, Kaduna and Bauchi.”
Opuiyo added that “following the arrest, the sum of N1.5million was recovered from the suspects.
“The money is part of the sum of N2million ransom, which the syndicate collected from Ayuba Gamale, a staff of Industrial Training Fund (ITF), whose two abducted family members were released on March 14, 2018. Other members of the syndicate are still being trailed by the service.
“The arrest of these suspects is significant for two different but related reasons. In the first case, the arrested kidnap kingpin, Ibrahim, is adjudged the most dangerous in Plateau State, as he is known to be principally responsible for recent kidnap incidents in the state.
“This arrest would be a great plus in the fight against these criminal gangs. In the case of Jonah Idi, his arrest would greatly degrade and disrupt the booming illicit arms supply business, which up till now has sustained the crisis in Taraba, Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa States.
“Earlier, on March 7, 2018 about 0023 hours, around International market, off George Akume road, Makurdi, Benue State, Service operatives arrested a top commander of the Terwase Akawza (aka Ghana) led criminal gang identified as Sesugh Aondoseer. Suspect is believed to have masterminded several kidnap and robbery operations in Katsina Ala-Ukum and Gboko-Makurdi axis of Benue State as well as Takum in Taraba State.”
He stated that the “service intervention efforts is paying off in the South-east. For instance, on March 16, 2018, about 0630 hours, at Ifite Village, Awka, Anambra State, operatives of the service arrested two suspected kidnappers namely, Nnaemeka Udoukwu and Nkem Nnonyelu.
“Both suspects have been on the wanted list of the service for their involvement in series of kidnap incidents in the state. In particular, Udoukwu was one of the kidnappers involved in the abduction of one Margret Orji, mother of an Onitsha-based businessman, Michael Orji, in January, 2017.
“The kidnappers collected a ransom of N2million to release the victim. Both suspects are under service custody, for further investigation.
“This service appreciates the public for its support and cooperation in providing useful information on criminal elements in their domain.
“The service also wishes to reiterate its stance, that no matter how long, every perpetrator of violence and criminality against the Nigerian state and its law-abiding citizens shall be made to face the full course of justice,” he stated.
