J.J:Nigeria Police To Investigate Abuja's Killing.

THE Nigeria Police Force has begun an
independent investigation into the killing of
eight suspected members of the
fundamentalist Islamic sect, Boko Haram,
in Abuja on Friday.(Read it HERE.)

It was learnt on Sunday that the police
authorities did not believe the claim of the
Department of State Security that the
suspects, who were killed by the SSS and
Army operatives in two uncompleted
buildings in the Apo Legislative Quarters,
were members of the sect.
The SSS Deputy Director (Public Relations),
Marilyn Ogar, had claimed that the victims
were gunmen who engaged the SSS
operatives in a gun battle in one of the
uncompleted buildings.
According to Ogar, the SSS operatives were
attacked by the suspects when they went to
the building on Soji Aderemi Close, off
Bamanga Tukur Street, Apo Quarters, to
exhume weapons buried in it by people
suspected to be Boko Haram members.
One of the 10 survivors, Mallam Ibrahim
Mohammed, had told Saturday PUNCH
that the government should probe the
incident and prosecute those behind it.
He had said, “We are not Boko Haram
members; that is a great blackmail; it is not
true. How can over 200 people living in an
uncompleted building be Boko Haram
members? Among us are Keke (tricycle)
drivers and operators.”
The counter-terror operation, which
commenced around 12.30am, rattled
people living in the highbrow residential
area.
The survivors are still receiving treatment at
the Asokoro District Hospital for gunshot
wounds. Some of them were shot in the leg
and abdomen. A young boy, Murtala
Abubakar, was shot in the lower back.

Continue...

Our correspondents gathered in Abuja on
Sunday that the SSS and the Army officers,
who jointly carried out the operation, had
yet to tender the weapons that were
purportedly buried in one of the
uncompleted buildings.
The SSS had claimed that its operatives
were digging for arms buried in the
building when they came under fire from
the suspects.
But it was learnt that the police authorities
were not satisfied with the explanation of
the SSS and had therefore initiated a probe
into the incident.
A top security source told one of our
correspondents that police detectives, who
went to the scene, did not see any sign of
upturned earth or fresh soil authenticating
the SSS claim.

Continue...

He said, “The SSS disappointed the police
by not informing us about such an
operation in the FCT. But while we wouldn’t
want to antagonise our sister agency and
the Army by exposing the flaws in the
operation, we will however carry out a
thorough investigation and submit our
findings to the government to avoid
another fiasco in future.”

It was gathered that the incident might
strain the relationship between the SSS and
the police which had been improving in
many aspects following the synergy being
built by the leadership of the two agencies.
The FCT Police Public Relations Officer,
Altienne Daniel, confirmed that the
command had commenced an independent
investigation into the incident.
He added that police detectives would soon
submit a preliminary report of their
findings “which will be made public.”
The Director of Defence Information,
Brig.Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, said that the
position of the Army was contained in a
press statement issued by the Department
of State Security on the operation.
Attahiru said, “There was a press release
issued to that effect by the spokesperson of
the SSS.

Continue...

“Look, this was a joint operation between
the SSS and the Army. So there is no
different position, the position taken by the
spokesperson of the SSS is the position of
the Army.
“Ogah issued a press release, you should
get that release. The position of the Army
and the SSS are the same.”

Meanwhile, the northern socio-political
organisation, the Arewa Consultative
Forum, and the Jama’atu Nasril Islam led by
the Sultan of Sokoto , Alhaji Abubakar
Sa’ad lll, have flayed the killings.
In their separate reactions on Sunday, they
argued that a thorough probe into the
incident would unearth the truth.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ACF,
Mr. Anthony Sani, in an interview with one
of our correspondents in Kaduna, said that
an investigation was necessary to make
Nigerians have confidence in the country’s
intelligence community.
The forum, Sani noted, was still observing
the happenings in Abuja with keen interest,
especially the conflicting reports as well as
claims and counter-claims surrounding the
killings.

He said, “The ACF is observing the event
associated with the killings last Friday in
Abuja of the suspected members of the
Boko Haram sect with keen interest,
especially the conflicting reports and claims
and counter-claims of what actually
happened.

“It is against this backdrop that ACF calls on
the authorities to thoroughly investigate the
incident for the purpose of enabling
Nigerians and the world to know the truth
needed for inspiring confidence in the
nation’s intelligence community for public
good.”
The JNI, in a statement by its Secretary-
General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu, described the Apo
killings as unfortunate.
The group, which also expressed shock
over “other killings at Benisheikh, in Borno
State, Wase, in Plateau State, Kafanchan in
Kaduna State and also various attacks in
Nasarawa and Taraba states, advised the
Federal Government and the respective
state governments “to constitute a
commission of inquiry over these matters.”
It further urged the authorities to caution
the SSS’s spokesperson over the way and
manner she handles sensitive security
matters .

Continue...

The JNI statement reads, “A critical
overview of these repeated acts of
absurdity clearly shows that the manner in
which the SSS spokesperson handles
reportage of security issues needs serious
introspection, because the spokesperson
concludes matters before investigation. The
case of the Nasarawa State man found with
dynamite in Radio House is still fresh in
our memory.
“Therefore, the spokesperson should be
cautioned. It is most likely as reported by
the media that the Apo victims were not
Boko Haram members as claimed by the
spokesperson.
“It is quite unfortunate, regrettable and
condemnable that, after witnessing relative
peace in some of these states in recent
times, these unfortunate recurring
massacres are coming up within 72 hours.”

The ACF and JNI said this as a legal
practitioner, Mr. Sunusi Musa, also faulted
the claim by the SSS.
He also hinted that his law firm would go
to court and offer free legal services (pro
bono) to the victims.
The Senate, on its part, said it would
welcome any action legitimately taken by
the President Goodluck Jonathan
administration to end terrorism in the
country.
The Senate Committee Chairman on
Information and Media, Senator Eyinnaya
Abaribe, stated this in an interview with
one of our correspondents.
He said, “The Senate will continue to
support any legal and constitutional step
taken by the President Goodluck Jonathan
administration and the security agencies to
stop the activities of the Boko Haram sect
in this country.
“Nobody is happy with the senseless killings
of innocent people by members of the sect
and we should all condemn it.”

wereallygist.live