The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the federal government
to act fast to prevent Nasarawa from becoming another trouble spot in
the country, saying the mindless violence being perpetrated by the
Ombatse cult/ethnic militia in the state is fast spiralling out of
control.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its Interim National
Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said failure to
act fast will see the state, which has the longest stretch of border
with the federal capital territory (FCT), plunged into a crisis that
will have a far-reaching effect beyond the state.
It said the lessons of the Boko Haram crisis which, through the same
attitude now being exhibited towards the Nasarawa crisis, was allowed
to fester and then degenerate into a slow-motion warfare, should guide
the federal government to quickly bring the Nasarawa crisis under
control.
APC said the killing of over 60 security operatives in May by those
believed to be members of the cult/ethnic militia provided perhaps the
best opportunity to deal a decisive blow to the cult.
”In an inexplicable decision, the federal government resorted to a
policy of appeasement against those who killed security operatives who
were carrying out their lawful duties. These mindless cultists were
supposedly forgiven without any of them being brought to justice, thus
emboldening them to continue to perpetrate their dastardly acts.
”The killings of security agents last May was not the first time the
cult had attacked individuals and security operatives. Past attacks
include the one between May 30th and June 1st 2012, when the cult
killed 15 people in an attack on Assakio community; the one on Nov.
21st, 2012 when the cult attacked Agyaragu community, killing nine
people and the Nov. 17th, 2012 attack, when the cult mounted illegal
road blocks and attacked motorists and commuters, injuring many
including soldiers and other security agents.
”Unfortunately, the kid gloves with which the cultists have been
treated by the federal government, even after the killing of the
security operatives, has meant more killings and destruction of
property, the latest of which occurred last week, with deadly
consequences,” the party said.
The party said while it is not suggesting and will not support an
unbridled use of force that may inflict a collateral damage on
innocent citizens, it believes that bringing to justice the
perpetrators of crime among the cultists will be a good starting
point.
It said while the state government has acted promptly and firmly,
including by proscribing the dangerous group, meeting with elders from
the Eggon ethnic group and others to seek a peaceful solution and the
sustained surveillance on the activities of the group, the federal
government has yet to show the same level of commitment to efforts
aimed at halting the cult’s activities.
APC wondered whether the federal government would have remained
equally docile in tackling the dangerous cult if it had been operating
in a state that is not in the opposition, like Bayelsa or Rivers for
example.
”How has a vicious cult become a sacred cow that can so easily mow
down security operatives without consequences? Why does the FG need to
wait before there is a conflagration before embarking on a panic
deployment of troops to the areas hit by the latest attack by the
Ombatse cult in Nasarawa? These and other questions are now being
asked by right thinking Nigerians within and outside the state.
”Unfortunately, the insinuation in certain quarters now is that the
FG has deliberately delayed action in bringing the cultists to justice
for the crimes they have perpetrated or in stopping them from
committing further atrocities because it wants the situation to
deteriorate so it can then benefit from the chaos by taking over the
state, either by hook or crook.
”It is also being said that the fact that the Eggon ethnic group
boasts of powerful sons, including one who is now the acting Minister
of Defence, may be the reason why a dangerously-evolving killing
machine has been allowed the leeway to continue to perpetrate its
devilish activities.
”We do not know if the insinuation is true or not. But the only way
the FG can convince Nigerians, especially victims of the Ombatse
cult/ethnic militia, that it is not tacitly endorsing the activities
of the cult, is to join hands with the state government to stop the
cult in its tracks and bring to justice those among them found to have
committed crimes. Failure to do this will only confirm the insinuation
that the FG is shielding those who pose a clear and present danger to
the peace and security of Nasarawa, the FCT and the entire country, just to pave the way for an easy take over f the state by the People’s Democratic Party” ,
the party added
Alhaji Lai Mohammed
Interim National Publicity Secretary
