Justice for DSS, police officers killed by the Ombatse militia

It has been 11 years since the killing of 10 officers of Department of State Security Services (DSS) and 64 personnel of the Nigeria Police Force (Mobile Police) by the Ombatse militia in Alakio, Nassarawa State, on 7/5/2013.

It has been 11 years of pain and anguish in the hearts of parents, spouses, children and siblings of the Nigerian security officers who were deployed on an official duty to Alakio in Lafia, Nasarawa State, but none of them came back alive. Their equipment was either seized or destroyed.

The then governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Almakura, set up a high-powered judicial commission of enquiry to investigate the killings of the security operatives (NPF & DSS). Hon. Justice Joseph Fola Gbadeyan (rtd) served as chairman with some distinguished Nigerians as members. Painstaking and thorough work was done and an excellent report was submitted to the Nasarawa State government which identified involvement of individuals and groups in the Ombatse militia killings at Alakio.

The individuals identified as taking part in the crisis were arraigned in High Court 1 in Lafia on May28, 2018 under the then Chief Judge of Nasarawa State. The case was adjourned again until Oct 4, 2018. I was a witness of the proceedings on this day when two NPF officers who escaped the killings were interviewed by the judge. Unfortunately, the court discontinued the case in Lafia and any court in Nigeria. This is a case of pure injustice and negligence to the young lives that were lost serving our country.

We implore the government of Renewed Hope of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to kindly take over the prosecution of the case of Alakio killings of the DSS and NPF personnel and those found guilty should be sanctioned appropriately to serve as a deterrent to other militias and to boost the morale of their colleagues who are still in the service who witnessed the injustice done to their deceased colleagues.

I want to specially thank Her Excellency Chief Mrs Josephine Elechi, former First Lady of Ebonyi State, who generously donated food items to the victims’ families and all the journalists that fought for the story to be told and heard despite all levels of harassment, intimidation and threat to their lives.

Nandul Durfa wrote via [email protected]