Social Critic, Onmonya Daniel, condemns cleric’s murder, says Nigerian Army not known for such crimes
• Army constitute panel to probe killing
A popular journalist and social critic, Comrade George Onmonya Daniel has condemned in the strongest terms the murder of an Isamic cleric, Sheikh Goni Gashua, in Yobe State, allegedly by a soldier identified as John Gabriel. He said the murderous action of the killer-soldier was most despicable and condemnable but does not represent what the Nigerian Army is known for.
Onmonya Daniel urged the Nigerian Army to investigate and deal with the case with due diligence that it requires and ensure that the culprit is brought to book if found guilty. According to him, the Nigerian Army has a criminal to deal with as the alleged culprit was in the employ of the Army.
“The Nigerian Army has a criminal to deal with. It is them who employ such character. This is not the problem of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) or that of anyone for that matter. When people are employed by an organisation like the Army, the Police or any security agency, they are supposed to be taught ethics if they don’t have one (sic), the ethics of the profession”.
“How we employ people into organisation seems to be the problem. Half of the people employed nowadays into most Government organisations are through ‘man know man’ or they paid for the employment. It is easy to get all sorts of characters in the profession. Even when sometimes all the processes are followed appropriately you still have some very bad eggs.
Read Also:
“The act of this young soldier is not only despicable, it is not what the Nigerian Army is known for. I urge the Nigerian Army to investigate and deal with this case with due diligence and ensure if their boy is guilty brought to book. I trust the army will do the right thing”.
Daniel counseled that the unfortunate incident should not be politicized or turned into religious matter. He said, “This does not need to be politicised into Christian vs Muslim thing because the boy has a Christian name and he killed an Islamic Cleric. It has nothing to do with anybody but him. I trust the Nigerian Army will deal with this appropriately”.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has constituted a panel to probe the alleged complicity of its soldiers accused in the cleric’s killing. In a statement on Sunday by Capt Kennedy Anyanwu of the Headquarters Sector 2 Joint Task Force North East Operation Hadin Kai, the Army said an investigation is currently ongoing to unravel the identities of the soldiers.
The Army described the incident as highly regrettable given the Sector’s disposition and zero tolerance to violation of Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for troop.
“The Sector, in collaboration with Yobe State Police Command is carrying out investigation to unravel the identity of the suspected soldiers. Additionally, the Sector has instituted a Board of Inquiry to unravel the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident. At the end of the investigation, the soldiers will be made to face the full wrath of the both military and civil laws”.
The Islamic cleric, Sheikh Goni Gashua, was allegedly killed by some soldiers he offered lift in his car on Friday near Jaji Maji in Karasuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State. It was reported that the culprits murdered him in cold blood and made away with his Honda car.
