Army gets reports on Danjuma’s claim, arms inventory

The panel set up by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, to investigate the allegation by former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, indicting the force of complicity in the ongoing killings, especially in Taraba, by herdsmen has submitted its report.Also to present their findings to the military chief was the body mandated to verify authentic arms and ammunition in army formations nationwide.

Receiving the reports yesterday in Abuja, Buratai assured Nigerians that the finding on the Taraba crisis would be made public in good time. “I want to say that the report will be thoroughly studied and findings released to the public and the media, he promised, while receiving the report from the Major General Joseph Nimmyel (rtd)-led committee. The move was informed by his concern over proliferation of arms and light weapons not only in the country but also on the borders.

Buratai went on: “You will agree with me that the committee has do 0ne justice to the assignment. We will do our best to safeguard our arms and other vital weapons.“Arms verification is not simple as people think. However, we will pay a special attention to it, especially at this period, where there is proliferation of arms and light weapons not just in our country but also across our borders.

“This verification will assist us to identify if there are gaps or loopholes so that we can address the issues immediately. “We will do our best to preserve our arms and other vital weapons so that they don’t get into wrong hands.”

Both committees were set up on the March 19 and April 9 this year to carry out their specific assignments.The former followed Damjuma’s accusation of the military, particularly the Nigerian Army, of colluding with herdsmen to commit atrocities in his home state of Taraba.At the convocation of Taraba State University, the elder statesman had charged indigenes to defend themselves against the killers, saying the army was not interested in their security.