Posted by By HENRY CHUKWURAH Port Harcourt on
The military on Sunday announced that it has uncovered fresh plots by three cult groups in Rivers State to blackmail it and raise public sentiment against its men in the on-going hunt for cultists involved in the recent mayhem in Port Harcourt and the environs.
The military on Sunday announced that it has uncovered fresh plots by three cult groups in Rivers State to blackmail it and raise public sentiment against its men in the on-going hunt for cultists involved in the recent mayhem in Port Harcourt and the environs.
One of such moves to portray the Military Joint Task Force, 'as an occupational force that kill at will" is the alleged use of Army uniforms in inter-cult crisis in parts of the state.
This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt in apparent reaction to allegations that members of the task force were responsible for the recent killings in Tombia community in the state.
The reaction came just as the Army authorities announced the appointment of a new Commander for the 2 Amphibious Brigade in Port Harcourt, Brigadier-General Sarkin-Yaki Bello, hitherto, Director in the Department of Army Operations at the Army Headquarters in Abuja. He replaced Brigadier General Samuel Andrew Salihu, now posted to Defence Headquarters.
Spokesman for the JTF and the Army in the state, Major Sagir Musa, said the cult groups, led by Ateke Tom, Soboma George and Farah Dagogo, now adorn military uniforms and unleash terror on innocent people in a bid to create public resentment of security agents involved in the pursuit of fleeing cultists.
'In order to succeed in their nefarious activities and to beef up public sentiments against the security agents involved in the restoration of law and order in the state, they resort to illegal use of army uniforms in their inter-cult crisis and in the process unleash terror on innocent people with loss of lives and properties."
Major Musa said the military had no hand in the 'purported killing of 12 suspected cultists" in Tombia community.
'This is to inform members of the public that the JTF Operation flush out 111 currently in operation in the state is yet to patrol or deploy troops to Tombia and is therefore not responsible for the reported killing. 'As a well trained, responsible and disciplined force, we are mindful of our noble responsibilities to the Nigerian people and Rivers State in particular."
Consequently, the task force advised members of the public to, 'be wary of miscreants masquerading in Army uniforms that engage in wanton killing of innocent people". It assured that 'this menace" would soon end