Reps summon army, defence chiefs over attack on Benue lawmaker, residents

The House of Representatives has summoned the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, and the Chief of Army Staff, Faruk Yahaya, over alleged assaults on residents of Gboko and Guests of Old Barn Hotel in Benue State.

This followed the adoption of a motion by lMark Gbillah (LP-Benue) during plenary in Abuja on Wednesday.

Gbillah expressed concerns over the worsening spate of military and police brutality and extra-judicial killings by security operatives on civilians and unarmed Nigerians.

He condemned the incident on March 18 at Old Barn Hotel, Gboko, where officers of 401 Division of the Nigerian Army allegedly assaulted and brutalised several persons and guests.

The lawmaker said the military officers, numbering over 20, stormed the hotel in Nigerian Army trucks, dressed in military uniforms but without any identifiers such as name tags or any form of personal identity and ranks.

Gbillah said the military officers ordered all persons within view to move, gather in groups, and squat on the ground without explanation, describing the assault as cruel and inhuman treatment.

According to him, in the course of obeying the Army Officers’ commands, one of the soldiers accosted a member of the House of Reps and slapped him.

He said this was in spite of the fact that the lawmaker introduced himself as a serving member, adding that the soldier poured more invectives on him (lawmaker) and ordered his subordinates to slap him.

Gbillah said in an attempt to defend himself from the unprovoked assault, about 20 soldiers pounced on him and others with guns and brutally assaulted him.

This, according to him, resulted in serious injuries on his head, face, shoulders, chest, back, both arms, and legs.

The House, however, resolved to invite the Chief of Defence and Chief of Army Staff to appear before the lawmakers to explain the circumstances behind the attack.

The lawmakers said they should be made to explain the military’s rules of engagement during election monitoring and other engagements with the civilian population.

This, according to the lawmakers, was sequel to the extrajudicial killing of two young men in Gboko by the same 401 Special Forces Brigade for alleged ballot snatching.

The House also said it should brief the lawmakers on actions currently taken by military authorities to investigate the assault on residents of Gboko.

The lawmakers said their explanation should also include the assault on Kpam Sokpo and the shooting to death of two persons in Gboko on same day.

They, however, mandated the committee on army to ensure compliance and report to it  within two weeks.

The Star