Bomba Dauda
In a press statement signed by the Public Relation Officer of the Southern Kaduna People Union (SOKAPU), Comrade Luka Biniyat and issued to Gurara Accord, yesterday, the group asked some pertinent questions regarding the arrest and the continuing detention of the Atyap leaders by the Police Command in Kaduna.
In the statement, SOKAPU pleaded that, CP Umar Muri answer the following questions: How can 706 cows and 75 sheep be killed in a day and a ditch large enough to burry them dug by villagers in a single day?
SOKAPU further asked, Is it possible that the entire Atyap Chiefdom and surroundings not be taken over by putrefying smell that should have led to an epidemic?
How can a 85 year old man who can hardly stand by himself for long be involved in the killing of such alleged large number of cows, when he can’t even kill a cockroach?
Adding that, Is this not a shameful and embarrassing trumped up allegations just to punish and humiliate leaders of Atyap communities who are still mourning the murder of their kinsmen by those they identified as Fulani militia?
How comes after nearly 10 months of continuous killings and arson of Atyap natives and their villages, CP Umar Muri, is not “deeply concerned about the level of carnage perpetrated by (the real) agents of doom. . . ?”
The Southern Kaduna socio-cultural group also raised concerns on the maltreatment of the Atyap leaders and how the police command in Kaduna is denying the sick ones amongst them access to befitting health facilities as their health keeps deteriorating.
“Since last Saturday, Atyoli Ayuba Dodo, 60; Atyoli (Respectable elder) David Bwanin, 55 and Atyoli Bobai Joseph, 75 have seriously taken ill. Despite the Atyap demand that they be treated by their own doctors, these sick elders were taken to the Police clinic. SOKAPU is highly not comfortable with what they are prescribed with since we would not have, if given the choice, allow the police to treat them.”
SOKAPU is deeply worried with fact that, Last night, the detainees have been moved in pairs of two to different police stations including the sick, old and infirmed. They are scattered to the following police stations in Kaduna metropolis: the notorious Gabasawa Police Station; Operation Yaki Police Station inside the police barracks on constitution road. The cells there hold some of the most harden suspects of violent crimes in the state. The others are Magajin Gari Police Station, Unguwan Rimi Police Station , Kakuri police Station and two are still left at the Kabala Doki Police Station.
SOKAPU believes that with the unintelligent and laughable allegations made against these innocent Atyap Community leaders by the police, the police may frame up more charges that would ensure that they are denied bail.
They would also do so to safe face from the embarrassment they have caused themselves since it is obvious that they are desperately playing out an agenda.
We also believe that the motive of separating them is to subjugate them into brutal torture so to extract confession under duress.
Their separation is also to remove the psychological comfort that comes with staying under one roof as persons of same identity and common problem.
SOKAPU is asking for the immediate release of these men that were literally abducted by men of Major General Dominic Onyemulu and punished before being passed to the police for further suffering.
We demand that the Nigeria Army Headquarters inquire into how its men have now become tools used for such untowards projects.
Ohaneze Ndi’Igbo should call their son to order, and remind him that there will still be life after leaving the army.
If anything happens to these men, Major General Dominic Onyemulu and CP Umar Muri should be held responsible.
We are calling on volunteer legal experts, relevant NGOs, CSOs and men and women of means and conscience to assist us in enforcing the Fundamental Human Rights of these poor detainees who can obviously not afford the cost of pursuing their rights without assistance.
Finally, we call on Atyap youths and their neighbours to please remain calm and not take the law into their hands, even as they maintain vigilance over their communities.
