… ‘They killed 3 of our kinsmen, injured many others when we protested their oppression’
..Troops extort N2000 from anyone of us caught riding motorcycle
..We’re addressing the matter- Govt
By EMMANUEL SAMUEL, Yola
The rustic agrarian town of Gurin, a border settlement in Fufure Local Government Area of Adamawa State, had always maintained its sleepy, quiet mien without any hustle and bustle until penultimate Thursday, when violence erupted between some of the residents and soldiers over alleged N2000 levy imposed by the troops of the Nigerian Army in the area.
Inhabitants of the town had woken up on Thursday June 6, 2019, and were getting set to head to their farms without any foreboding of the violence and death lurking around the corner in their community. Few hours after, the community was thrown into a bedlam as troops allegedly opened fire on some of the villagers protesting the alleged imposition of a fine of N2000 on motorcycle riders in the area by the soldiers. By the time the dust raised by the chaos settled, three members of the community lay dead, allegedly shot by the soldiers, while several others escaped with gunshot injuries!
Before now, the community had been gripped by the fear of kidnappers, who had laid siege to the community, necessitating the deployment of troops to the area. But the arrival of the soldiers in the community, according to some of the residents, has confronted the people of the area with another problem: coping with a seeming Army of occupation now subjecting them to alleged harassment, extortion and imposition of levies on those of them buoyant enough to afford motorcycles.
Our correspondent gathered that the ban on motorcycles in all communities in Adamawa State was imposed since 2014 by the state government to check the activities of kidnappers and other criminals in the state.
A resident of the community, who pleaded not to be identified owing to fears of a reprisal, told our correspondent that the protest by the residents that June 6 morning began as an action to express their dissatisfaction with the worsening spate of kidnappings in the area while soldiers stationed to protect them allegedly turned their face the other way, pretending not to be aware of their plight in the hands of criminals prowling in the area.
He claimed that in recent times the kidnappers had been operating in the area with impunity and unhindered, inspite of the presence of the troops in the community.
He accused the soldiers of rather harassing innocent residents while leaving the perpetrators of the heinous crime of kidnapping and other crimes to operate and roam freely in the area.
“Rather than the soldiers going after these kidnappers, they’re only interested in harassing innocent residents, who they have imposed N2000 levy on, if you are caught riding your own motorcycle. It’s so unfortunate that we have this kind of a situation here. It’s so sad that the soldiers are beginning to replace the kidnappers they have been sent here to help us tackle. They have become our new oppressors,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, another resident of the area, Musa Mallum, said, “Tension has been building in the area for a longtime, as we became fed up with the insecurity and uncalled for harassment by security operatives.
‘’ As I am talking to you now, there is serious demonstration going on in Gurin due to rampant kidnapping and excessive use of force on us by soldiers and policemen.’’
Also speaking on the violence occasioned by the residents’ protest in Gurin, a local leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers Union in the area, who pleaded anonymity, said on the telephone that “three persons who were returning from their farms were shot dead and four others injured during the demonstration against the soldiers.
‘’We are preparing to take the corpses of our people shot dead during the protest against the soldiers for burial. We want the government to intervene because security operatives have been harassing, torturing and extorting our people, instead of protecting our lives and property from kidnappers and marauders.
‘’ Motorcycles are an integral and indispensable form of transportation amongst our people, being an agrarian community. The soldiers recently upped their harassment following the reinforcement of total ban of motorcycles in the state as a result of which tensions between the people and security operatives escalated leading to the Thursday morning protest,” he recounted.
The NURTW leader recalled that about two years ago, a son of the traditional ruler of the town, who was also a retired deputy superintendent of police, Yerima Jika Hammawa, suddenly dropped dead following his harassment by policemen and his ordeal in the hands of his former colleagues, who arrested him for riding his own motorcycle in the area.
Our correspondent learnt that Hammawa’s blood pressure suddenly rose during his arrest by the policemen, resulting in his eventual death.
“When he died, the policemen allegedly threw his body away and pretended that he did not die in their hands,” a resident, who pleaded not to be identified said.
And since the death of the community’s prince, residents said tension had been escalating between security operatives and indigenes of the area.
Some of the residents alleged in a chat with our correspondent that the security operatives in the area, including the soldiers, had formed the habit of extorting N2,000 from the owner of every motorcycle they impounded before letting him off the hook, noting that those who could not pay the fine usually had their motorcycles confiscated.
A local resident, who simply identified himself as Baba, said, “The security operatives are not enforcing the ban, but rather using it to extort money.
“Any motorcyclist that fails to settle the N2, 000 levy usually has his motorcycle confiscated. Sometimes back, soldiers burnt down a number of confiscated motorcycles with the full knowledge and support of the traditional ruler of the area, Ardo Gurin.
‘’Due to the suspicion of the traditional ruler’s support for the actions of the security operatives, during the protest, demonstrators set bonfires at his palace.’’
When contacted, the Adamawa State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Suleiman Y. Nguroje, confirmed the incident, but said, ‘’ normalcy has since been restored.’’
Explaining further, the police spokesperson said, ‘’Some local residents in Gurin border community were reported to have staged unauthorised protest for unknown reasons to the palace of the traditional ruler. Though they didn’t meet, they set bonfires at his palace.
‘’They later proceeded to soldiers checkpoint with their protest and we don’t know what happened thereafter. But already, the CP has directed Yola area commander and other neighbouring DPOs in Fufore to proceed to Gurin in an effort to restore peace.
‘’ But I am not aware of any death or injury.”
Meanwhile, efforts to get the Army spokesman in the state to comment on the incident proved abortive as his phones lines were switched off.
But in its reaction, the Adamawa State Government appealed to the demonstrators to exercise caution, stressing that the ban on motorcycles in the state remained in force.
The Permanent Secretary in the state’s Ministry of Information and Strategy, Polycarp Ayuba, said in a staement that government would lift the ban on motorcycles as soon as the security situation in the area improved.
According to Ayuba, “It has come to the attention of the Adamawa State Government that the inhabitants of Gurin town in Fufore LG are currently demonstrating against the government ban on the use of motorcycles.
”The use of motorcycles was banned because it was a major of transportation used by kidnappers and other miscreants to easily carryout their inhuman and criminal activities.
“Government never intended to inconvenience its law abiding citizens by the ban but to safeguard their lives and properties, and to create a peaceful atmosphere for them to carry on their normal economic and social activities.
The statement added, “The demonstrators are, therefore, advised to disband immediately. Government assures its citizens that it will lift the ban on the use of motorcycles as soon as the security situation improves.
” However, the ban on the use of motorcycles still remains in force throughout the state.
“Officers and men of 23 brigade Yola, have been drafted to the area for the purpose of maintaining law and order and peaceful atmosphere so that law abiding inhabitants can go on with their usual business.”
