continued on Tuesday with the killing of
16 people by gunmen in the Riyom
Local Government Area.
At least 200 houses were burnt in the
mayhem which occurred some hours
before the African Union Commission
called on the Federal Government to
stop the killings in parts of the
country, especially the North-East.
The Plateau State mayhem also took
place as the military confirmed the
death of a Lieutenant and some soldiers
in a camp in Borno State last weekend.
It was gathered that apart from the
burnt houses in Torok, Gwon, Gwarama,
and Gwarim in the Riyom LGA,
properties worth millions of naira were
destroyed in Gida Biu, Langtang South
LGA by gunmen suspected to be Fulani
herdsmen.
Our correspondent learnt that in the
four communities in the Riyom LGA,
the gunmen, in camouflage arrived in a
commando style, killing anybody on
their way.
The panic-stricken residents were said
to have been woken up by gunshots
which tore through the quiet Tuesday
morning.
The Majority Leader of the Plateau State
House of Assembly, Daniel Dem, who is
also the lawmaker representing the
Riyom LGA, described the incident as
sad.
He said that 10 of the victims, mostly
women and children, were burnt to
death by their attackers in Gwarim.
Dem wondered why men of the Special
Task Force deployed in the area could
not stop the attackers.
He said, "In nearly all the attacked
villages, there is presence of men of
the STF; why did they not go after the
attackers."
The villages, our correspondent in the
state gathered, had been completely
deserted as residents fled to
neighbouring communities. Some were
however said to have taken refuge in
schools and churches.
The Public Relations Officer of the state
Police Command, Felicia Anselm,
confirmed the attack but said she had
yet to be briefed on the number of
casualties.
Meanwhile, the AU Commission has
urged the Goodluck Jonathan
administration to expedite action to
stop the killing of innocent women and
children by Boko Haram insurgents.
The commission, in a statement on
Wednesday by its Chairperson, Dr.
Dlamini Zuma, said it was worried by
the "continuing acts of barbarism and
terrorism'' perpetuated on innocent
people by individuals and groups in
Nigeria, Central African Republic, South
Sudan and Somalia.
"These senseless killings of innocent
children, youths, women and other
civilians, even while they are asleep in
school dormitories, recovering in
hospitals or in places of worship and
relaxation, must stop," it said.
The AU commission recalled the
continent's history of peaceful
coexistence among the people for
centuries in spite of its religious and
ethnic diversities.
It urged leaders of the continent to
make practical efforts towards peace
and security in Africa.
"We must also recommit to building
inclusive social and economic systems to
ensure equitable distribution of
resources. Our leaders must direct
efforts towards development;
democracy, people centred and
accountable governments that would
manage the diversity of our cultures,
religions and peoples,'' it added.
Meanwhile, the Director of Defence
Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade,
has confirmed that a Lieutenant and
some soldiers were killed in an
operation in the troubled Borno State.
He said, "That operation is the same
one we issued a statement earlier on .
It is true that a Lieutenant and some
soldiers died in the operation. We just
did not want to release details of
casualties in the statement that was
issued."
One of our correspondents gathered in
Abuja that the Special Forces of the
Nigerian Army and the men of the
Nigerian Air Force destroyed some of
the major strongholds of the Boko
Haram insurgents between Borno and
Yobe Yobe states during the operation
last weekend.
A source said the military high
command was impressed with the
outcome of the operation that it
resolved that automatic promotion be
granted all the operatives who took
part in it.
Although the military did not give the
casualty figure on the part of the
insurgents, it was believed that several
of them were killed.
It was also learnt on Wednesday that
the military was conducting a discrete
investigation into the killing of 29
students of the Federal Government
College, Buni Yadi in Yobe State by
insurgents on February 25.
A source said that the military had
issued a directive that an Army Officer
who was in charge of a military
checkpoint close to the school be taken
to Abuja for interrogation.
He added that the officer was
expected to make clarifications on the
allegations that a military patrol team
close to the school was withdrawn less
than 24 hours before the attack.
But the Defence spokesman denied
that the incident was being probed.
He said, "There is no probe going on. It
is not right to use such strong terms like
interrogation. What is normal is that
when an operation or exercise takes
place, there must be a review. It is
mainly to shape subsequent operations.
It is simply military routine."
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