The Nigerian army on Saturday described as unfortunate the statement credited to the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. TY Danjuma (Rtd), wherein he allegedly accused the military of protecting armed herdsmen killing innocent people in Taraba and other states. Speaking at the maiden convocation ceremony of the Taraba State University, Danjuma had said;
“You must rise to protect yourselves from these people; if you depend on the armed forces to protect you, you will all die. “I ask all of you to be on the alert and defend your country, defend your state. “This ethnic cleansing must stop in Taraba, and it must stop in Nigeria. These killers have been protected by the military; they cover them and you must be watchful to guide and protect yourselves because you have no other place to go.”
Responding, the Army in a statement issued to newsmen by the Public Relations Director, Brig. Gen. Texas Chukwu, the Army warned Nigerians not to heed Danjuma's advice. It read in part;
“The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to the unfortunate statement made by a former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, during the convocation ceremony of the Taraba State University on Saturday 24 March 2018 in which he categorically asserted that the Armed Forces of Nigeria was colluding with militias and other criminal elements and was unable to provide security for the citizens of Taraba State. He further called the people of Taraba State to take up arms and defend themselves.
“The Nigerian Army views this statement made by the former Chief of Army Staff as most unfortunate at this critical time that the military has embarked upon demilitarisation of the North Central Region of the Country.
“While Nigerian Army would not want to join issues with the Elder Statesman, however, certain facts need to be clearly stated in the interest of the Taraba People and the Nigerian public:
“The Nigerian Army is constitutionally charged with the responsibility of defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria and to aid the civil authority whenever called upon to do so. In this light, the authorisation for the conduct of Ex AYEM AKPATUMA was authorised and troops deployed to curb menace of the herdsmen-farmers conflict and other criminal activities in the North Central Region amongst others."
