Petition on Dereliction of Duty by OPSH

THE COMMANDER,
HEADQUARTERS OF OPERATION SAFE HAVEN, JOS
PLATEAU STATE

Sir,

MATTER OF URGENCY!!!

A CALL FOR IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION ON DERELICTION OF DUTY BY COL. ETSU NDAGI AND ABDULLAHI MURTALA (ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER) OF SECTOR 9, OPERATION SAFE HAVEN OVER THE RECENT INVASION OF TARAI AND TANJOL HAMLETS OF JOL COMMUNITY, RIYOM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
The above subject matter referred to wherein we petition for and on behalf of the locals of the affected hamlets, it is hereby states as follows:
1. That Jol community, especially Tarai and Tanjol hamlets have been theatre of an unending violent eruption and attacks by armed Fulani herdsmen since 2001 up to date. As a result, Government security agents have been stationed there to protect the area/locals from any further invasion.
2. Recently, it has been within public knowledge that the magnitude of the said attacks have increasingly been witnessed on daily basis. By implication, people have had to bear a disproportionate consequence of the attacks in terms of loss of lives and property. In many ways, the people have suffered a dislocation of their means of livelihood and social existence.
3. It is also a fact that Tarai, Tanjol and Vwak hamlets of Jol community were attacked on 29th day of September, 2018. Consequently, one person by name Mr. Shedrach Luka was shot dead while Mr. James Doro Sustained injury and has been hospitalized.
4. It is equally a fact that Tarai and Tanjol hamlets were heavily attacked by armed Fulani herdsmen from Rankum(Mahanga area) on 2nd day of October, 2018 as a result of which 12 people by name Dachomo Yohanna, Nehemiah Daniel, Obanus Bulus, Toma Doro, Victor Yakubu Kim, John Elisha, Davou Daniel, Davou Danladi, Elisha Danke, Dachomo Banio, Gideon Yakubu, Ishaya Danke were gruesomely murdered in cold blood, 13 people sustained varying degree of fatal injuries and over 25 houses set ablaze with valuables worth millions of Naira destroyed, while Security personnel of Operation Safe Haven folded their arms and watched the gory incident that lasted for over 5 hours (from 3:00 pm to 8:45 pm or thereabout) without intervention. Note also that over 1682 people have been displaced to Riyom, Rahoss, Vwak and other places as a result of the terror attacks.
5. Perplexedly, the glaring withdrawal of Security personnel from Tanjol during the attack of 2nd October,2018 and also failure to reinforce the personnel on ground before the said withdrawal in spite of several distressed calls placed on the Sector 9 Commander and Administrative Officer by name Col. Etsu Ndagi and Abdullahi Murtala respectively by some of the locals and other elites of Riyom Local Government Area for intervention raises a lot of concern not only in the minds of the entire community but also every right thinking member of human society.
6. Sadly, some escapees who ran to Rahoss where Sector 9 Headquarters is located were mocked by some security agents(Operation Safe Haven) who ought to have been deployed to rescue the situation thereby curtailing the weight of the terror attack on the said hamlets.
7. Another disheartening development is that after the withdrawal of the security personnel from Tanjol, the area has continued up to date without the return of the said security and no reason adduced to the knowledge of the inhabitants whose state of vulnerability keeps rising high considering the continuous attacks being unleashed thereon.
8. Most unfortunately is the arbitrary arrest and inhuman treatment as well as chasing away of the locals of Tanjol and Tarai hamlets following the invasion of the two hamlets by personnel of Operation Safe Haven from Sector 9 on 16th day of October, 2018 at about 2:21 pm or thereabout. As a result, homes and domestic valuables including foodstuff were blatantly destroyed and Permanent Voter’s Cards were damaged and other cards are said to have been missing or carted away, innocent locals arrested and mercilessly beaten up aside being tortured before release, and threatening utterances made by the heavily armed security personnel from Sector 9 that there will be another invasion on the two hamlets if the locals refuse to allow Fulani herdsmen freely graze anywhere they want, instead of swinging into action to get arrested the attackers (armed Fulani herdsmen) that incessantly rain terrors on the said affected hamlets on 2nd day of October, 2018 and the subsequent attacks on Jol community as a whole.
In view of the aforementioned issues, it is therefore demanded as follows:
a. That the conduct exhibited by the said officers including those stationed at Tanjol as at the time of the attack be promptly investigated and prosecuted if found wanting. Note herein that Emancipation Centre for Crisis victims in Nigeria (ECCVN) hereby states its interest in following up the investigation and be updated on every progress thereof.
b. That the invasion of the two hamlets on 16th day of October, 2018 be condemned and the security agents involved be decisively made to face the wrath of the law. In essence, the conduct of the personnel of Operation Safe Haven exhibited in invading the hamlets be condemned and declared as not only unprofessional but also a gross violation of the constitutionally recognized rights of the innocent locals more so that due process statutorily provided was not complied with.
c. Compensation be paid to the families of those killed as a result of omission and/or commission of the security agents in the Guerrilla Attack.
d. Payment of all the hospital bills of those injured and rebuilding of all the houses destroyed.
e. That Government at all levels is hereby urged to speedily stage down intervention through provision of relief material and other psycho-social supports to alleviate the humongous plight of all the affected persons.
f. That there should be a deployment of Mobile Police to Tanjol and Tarai hamlets of Jol community since the Operation Safe Haven, on its own volition, glaringly demonstrated its discontinuance of deployment of Security personnel in the said areas.
While we commiserate with the security agency over the dead of one its officers(Mobile Policeman) who was shot dead by the attackers alongside Dachomo Banio who were running from Tanjol to Tashek for safety but ambushed along Tashek-Tanjol road, we in the same vein jettison the unprofessional displayed above as it is not only counterproductive but also grossly criminal. We consider this is to be a serious crime as it affected their constitutionally-recognized rights, which deserved to have been protected and also accorded due attention in the distressed moment but were rather left to their fate.
Take notice therefore that you are urged to immediately comply with this demand upon receipt of this letter or further steps shall be taken without notice to you including but not restricted to seeking for reliefs in Court.
Be assured of our esteemed cooperation in the process of the said investigation as anticipated.

Yours faithfully,

Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, Esq.
08065246811

CC:
1. The Chief of Defence Staff
2. Chief of Army Staff
3. Chief of Naval Staff
4. Chief of Air Staff
5. Inspector General of Police
6. The Commissioner of Police, Plateau State
7. The Director of State Security Services, Plateau State.
8. His Majesty, the Gbong Gwom Jos and Chairman Plateau State Joint Traditional Council.
9. The Plateau State Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp
10. The Permanent Secretary on Security, Plateau State.
11. National Emergency Management Agency.
12. Plateau State Emergency Management Agency.
13. The President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
14. The Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Plateau State.
15. Conference of Autochthonous Ethnic Communities Development Associations (CONAECDA)
16. The Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN),
Plateau State.
17. The Transition Committee Chairman,
Riyom Local Government Council.
18. Plateau Initiative for the Development and Advancement of Natives.
19. The President of Plateau Youth Council.
20. The Berom Outreach Ministry.
21. The National President of Berom Education and Cultural Organization
22. The National Chairman of Berom Elders’ Forum (BEF)
23. The National President of Berom Women’s Development Association.
24. The Caretaker Chairman of Berom Youth Moulders-Association
25. The Berom Ministers’ Forum(BEMFO).
26. Sector 9 of Operation Safe Haven.
27. The Chairman of Christian Lawyers’ Fellowship of Nigeria, Plateau State Chapter.
28. The Dagwom Rwey of Riyom District.
29. High-Flow Channels
30. The Divisional Police of Riyom Local Government Area.
31. The Chairman of Jol Community Development Associatun

For more information:
Registered Head Office
No. 5 off ITF drive, Miango low-cost road, opposite NYSC Secretariate, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

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Group Petitions Sector 9 Commander and Admin Officer over Dereliction of Duty that Lead to Jol in Riyom Attacks and Killings of 13