*Petitions Military Chiefs
The Fulani Waziri family of Rafin Sarki village in Fatika District of Giwa Local Government Area, Kaduna State, has accused some soldiers of unlawful seizure of 518 cows, 177 sheep and rams on March 9.
In a petition made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, the family urged the army authorities to order the detachment of soldiers deployed to Fatika to return their animals and stop selling their farmlands.
They also called for full investigation of the activities of the soldiers in the community, whom they accused of killing 12 members of the family without provocation.
The family listed those allegedly killed by the soldiers as; Nura Abdussalam, Adamu Abdulkarim, Yusuf Haruna, Buhari Haruna, Kabiru Haruna, Hussaini Haruna, Zinatu Bello, Haruna Idris, Waziri, Rayyanu Shuaibu, Alhaji Abdulkarim and Salisu Abdulkarim.
The family’s complaint was contained in a petition to the National Security Adviser dated April 12, 2024, signed by their lawyer, Mr Bello Ibrahim.efully among the larger Hausa communities around Fatika
Bello, however, said that despite the intimidation and harassment, his client had resolved to resist being forced into criminality and would pursue legal options to recover their livestock and farmlands.
“So far, after so much struggle, 40 cows were returned by the Kaduna state livestock officer, who said the Army gave them only 45 cows and that five of the cows had allegedly died, with non of their dead bodies shown to my client by anybody.”
He added that the 40 cows were returned on April 3.
“We solicit the assistance of the authority to urgently intervene and bring back the cows, sheep and rams of our clients immediately, and to ensure that the family lands of our clients are returned to them.
“We also seek for the payment of N500,000,000 as damages, compensation for suffering, hardship, fear and intimidation inflicted upon our client by soldiers.
“Sir, should it be that our client’s cows, sheep and rams are extinguished and lost due to unjustified seizure of the animals by the soldiers of Nigerian army, our clients are entitled to the payment of compensation in the sum of N2 billion along with the release of their farmlands.
“With the instructions of our clients, we request for the payment of N250, 000, 000 each as compensation for the killing of twelve (12) persons listed above, given the total of N3bn.”
When contacted on the matter, the Director, Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu said full investigations had commenced into the matter.
“Reference your inquiry. Information available to me is that investigation into the allegation is currently ongoing.
“The personnel involved have been taken into custody and investigation has commenced and we should await the outcome,” he stated. (NAN)