The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has accused the Nigerian military, especially the army, of compromising its neutrality by working with Jihadist Fulani herdsmen to terrorize the Eastern part of the country and Benue state.
Intersociety made this known in a statement on Friday September 2, 2022, in Onitsha, Eastern Nigeria which was signed by its Principal Officers; Board Chair, Emeka Umeagbalasi; Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Obianuju Joy Igboeli; and Head, Campaign and Publicity, Chidinma Udegbunam, adding that not only were military operations in these areas “deceitful” but such deployments were coded with military protected mass movements of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen into strategic Eastern forests, bushes and farmlands.
Part of the statement reads: “Strong accusations by Intersociety abound against the Nigerian Military concerning the above. Since 2016, Intersociety had remained firmly consistent in strongly accusing the Nigerian Military, especially the Nigerian Army, of heavily compromising its neutrality and non-partisanship doctrine by being remotely behind the Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen terrorism in the East and Benue State.
“Intersociety had embarked on series of field trips in the South-East and the South-South following the Nigerian Military’s camouflaged military operations in the two regions, partly code-named ‘Operation Python Dance.’ We had followed the patterns and trends of troops’ deployments during the deceitful military exercises and found out that such deployments were coded with military protected mass movements of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen into strategic Eastern forests, bushes and farmlands.
“These were to the extent that new military and police checkpoints were created to protect the Jihadists in their new settlements, in addition to settling them near existing military and Police formations and in the end, it was found that “out of every five military roadblocks or formations, camouflaged herders and their herds of cattle are found or sighted nearby. The military protected Jihadists invasion was also fueled by a 2015 alleged Nigerian Military forest/bush mapping exercise across the country as well as the introduction of the Nigerian Army/Military Ranching policy.
The group also alleged that some state governors were instrumental to the invasion and terrorism in the east.
“Emergence of stooges or surrogates as Governors in some States also aided their invasion and terrorism in Eastern Nigeria till date. Intersociety had identified no fewer than 700 bush/forest/farmland locations in the East, Benue and Kogi States as ‘newly occupied areas by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen’. In a 2020 statement, a former DIG in charge of Intelligence also corroborated our report to the effect that: “the intelligence report at his disposal showed that AK-47 armed Fulani Herdsmen have occupied 336 locations in the South-East alone,” the statement added.
