Nigerian Newsday

By Kajo Martins, Makurdi

Officers of 72 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Makurdi, Benue State, at the early hours of Tuesday, November 21, 2006 invaded the Makurdi residence of former minister of steel in the 2nd republic, Dr. Paul Unongo in search of militia men that allegedly snatched AK47 riffle from soldiers attached to the residence of retired General Victor Malu, the former Chief of Army Staff.

Nigerian Newsday gathered that unknown persons had made away with an AK45 rifle with fifty rounds of ammunition from Gen. Malu’s residence at Hudco quarters, High Level, Makurdi on Monday night (20th November, 2006), but on discovery of the missing gun, the officers were given a tip to head to Paul Unongo’s residence at Wurukum area for a possible recovery.

It was learnt that following the tip-off, an army colonel led a squad that took strategic positions at Unongo’s residence and demanded that all its occupants should subject themselves for a thorough check but some of them were said to have challenged the authority of the soldiers to carry out such an exercise in Unongo’s house and resisted the move.

An eye witness account had it that, following the resistance, the officers went berserk torturing one of the protesters to a pulp before arresting four others to 72 Battalion Barracks, North Bank area of Makurdi for further interrogation.

Residents of Daniel Amokachi lane near Unongo’s house were said to have panicked and scampered for their lives, recalling the invasion of Zaki-Biam in 2001 by soldiers over the alleged killing of soldiers in the area by perceived militia men of Tiv extraction.

When our correspondent visited Dr. Paul Unongo’s residence for his comment, he was said to have traveled to Abuja over the weekend. Unongo’s aid who claims anonymity alleged a set up to discredit him for his gubernatorial ambition in 2007 and said two notable PDP stalwarts had visited the house at the early hours of Monday before the incidence.

The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, Ibechukwu Aghanya, had confirmed the incidence describing is as a purely military operation aimed at recovering the stolen AK47 riffle with ammunitions.

He said the army as a security outfit has every right to take such an action anywhere. He warned members of the public against testing the minds of soldiers but cautioned people not to panic but go about their lawful businesses.