Plateau killings: We underestimated number of attackers, says military

The military has denied the allegation of complicity in the reported killing of 29 persons, including women and children, in the Nkiedonwhro community of Plateau State. Rather, it said it was overwhelmed by the numerical strength and tactics of the attackers.

The spokesperson of Operation Safe Haven, Capt. Umar Adams, made the denial in an interview with The PUNCH in Jos on Wednesday.
The President of Rigwe Development Association, Sunday Abdu, had accused soldiers deployed in the area of complicity, saying, “The soldiers masterminded the killing; that was what happened. The people were at home when they heard gunshots. Some of them were assured by the soldiers of safety. Then, one of the soldiers told the ward head to follow them for protection. And he obliged, believing that the soldiers would give them safety.

“As this was going on, some young men, women and children were gathered in the classroom of a primary school. One of the young men refused to enter the classroom, insisting on staying with the soldiers. The person saw everything that happened.

“He saw some people in the bush giving signs with their hands to the soldiers. It was between 6:30 and 7:00 pm; he saw the hand as if it was calling some people. The boy told the soldiers, ‘See oo, there is somebody in the bush giving signals with his hands and he is a Fulani person.’’

‘‘He said that immediately after that, there was a gunshot and the soldiers advised residents to remain in the classroom while they (the soldiers) went for the attackers. He alleged that one of the soldiers signalled the assailants to attack.

 “That was how the execution was carried out,” he said.

But Adams disagreed with Abdu, insisting that the attackers were too many for them to curtail.

He said, “During the killings, there was gunshot exchange between our troops and the attackers. The attackers came en masse and they were shooting sporadically and the people in the village started running towards one of the bases where our men were deployed. That was when our men offered them safety in the classroom.

“But as those attackers were still advancing, our men had to repel them by engaging them in gunshots. But because it was dark and they were many in number, our men didn’t know that there were others who came from another direction. While our people were attacking those ones, others came from a different route and fired the people in the classroom. But to our greatest disappointment, people are pushing the blame on us.”

Adams claimed that the Fulani herdsmen wounded by the troops were assisted to escape by their colleagues after the exchange of gunfire.