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Bosso: Audio Tape Contradicts Military Account of Operation
Olabode Adaramola, Minna
An audio tape, that recorded the conversation between an injured soldier and the police on the reason behind the bloody operation in some communities in Bosso local government of Niger state recently has contradicted the military account at the on-going siting of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, set up by the Niger State Government to look into the immediate or remote cause of the crisis.
The General Officer Commanding the 31 field Artillery Brigade Nigerian Army, Minna, Major General Tajudeen Olanreqaju Jimoh had in his testimony last week said that the information that the villagers stockpiled arms and ammunition was received at one of the security meetings held at the government house, Minna.
But the audio tape tendered by the member representing Bosso Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon Abdulmalik Madaki Bosso played at the sitting on Monday claimed the information on arms which led to the Military operation was provided by a Fulani man.
The recording was an interview of one of the soldiers identified as PTE Samuel Viwaponu of the 31 Artillery Brigade Minna, who was injured during the operation and rescued by the Police at Maikukele Divisional Headquarters, under the Niger State Police Command.
The non-Commission Officer, Private Samuel also claimed in the audio statement. That it was 35 soldiers that were sent on the operation adding that they were led by a Captain, while debunking the evidence of the Nigerian Army that 59 soldiers were sent for the operation.
Also testifying before the commission on Monday, the Divisional Crime Officer of the Police Station , ASP Emmanual Otompa confirmed that the police picked Private Samuel from the scene of the incident to police station with a leg injury.
According to him, “the soldier told us that they were stationed at Zungeru and led by one Captain Obed to the communities after a Fulani Man told them that the villages were hiding arms”.
He said that the statement of the injured soldier was recorded in English language and read to him before he was taken to hospital for medical treatment .
Otompa, said that the statement had been forwarded to the state Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department Minna, in a case file on the orders of his superior officers for further investigations.
Also testifying before the commission, Hon. Abdulmalik Madaki Bosso said that the military executed two villagers in extra-judicial killings two days after the bloody clash, in Kpakungu community, an outskirts of Minna town.
