By Ishaya Ibrahim
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday asked the National Assembly to immediately commence extensive investigation into alleged compromises that led to the killing of over 100 Nigerian soldiers by insurgents, particularly as the Buhari Presidency has refused to come forth with explanations on the issue.
The opposition party also accused the Buhari Presidency of allegedly condoning extra-judicial killings in the country and demanded an immediate forensic inquiry into the reported killing of a principal witness in the Offa robbery incident, Michael Adikwu, in the custody of the police in Kwara State.
The party said the legislative investigation into the killing of Nigerian soldiers had become imperative given reports of compromises and alleged failure of the authorities to promptly act on a reported threat by insurgents to attack the base and other military locations in the area, few days before the attack.
A statement by the national publicity secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said the alleged threats by insurgents was “in addition to a disturbing video, circulating in the public domain, showing soldiers, weeks before the attack, giving accounts of their neglect by the authorities, resulting in their vulnerability to insurgents.”
“This is particularly worrisome given apprehensions that President Muhammadu Buhari has been distracting the military by dragging our Service Chiefs to participate in his re-election campaign activities, instead of concentrating on their statutory duties.
“Moreover, the apparent insensitivity of the Buhari Presidency to the killing as well as alleged moves by the authorities to sweep the matter under the carpet has created despondency among the citizens,” the statement further said.
The opposition party, therefore, urged the National Assembly to unravel the compromises leading to the killing of the soldiers and those behind them.
Similarly, the former ruling party insisted that an inquest into the alleged extra-judicial killing of the principal suspect in the Offa robbery had become imperative following conflicting reports by the police over the cause and circumstances surrounding the death.
“The PDP invites Nigerians to note that the police had initially claimed that the witness was killed in the course of arrest, it later claimed that he died in the course of investigation, only to again declare that he was discovered dead just as he was about to be taken to court.
“The PDP notes that the conflicting reports by the police only point towards an attempt to cover a case of extra-judicial killing, ostensibly with a view to mute vital information and derail the course of justice in the matter which has since assumed a political dimension targeted at key opposition leaders.
“The PDP, therefore, calls for a public investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing, which will require an open questioning of all those involved on the arrest and detention of the suspect.”
