The Senate has asked the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigerian Police Force, and other paramilitary groups to prioritise inter-agency cooperation and coordination in order to achieve the National Defence Policy’s objectives.
On Tuesday, the upper chamber expressly asked the Nigerian Army to pay a condolence visit to the Eke village in Enugu State’s Udi Local Government Area to console the relatives of those wrongfully killed and provide compensation.
The Senate’s resolutions followed recommendations made by its Ethics and Public Petitions Committee, which reviewed the unjustified killings and attack on Eke Neighbourhood Guards by Nigerian Army officials on June 29, 2023.
The Senate instructed the Nigerian Armed Forces to carry out non-core duties in support of civil authorities to ensure that they inform the civilian population about their rules of engagement, modes of operation, and the significance of information sharing.
This recommendation was made in the report of the committee led by Senator Imasuen Neda (Labour Party Edo South).
It also instructed its compliance committee to make sure the Senate’s resolutions are followed. In the report, Senator Imaseun provided a detailed account of how, on June 29, 2023, soldiers killed two Eke Neighbourhood Guards. According to the report,
What they’re saying
“That faithful day, precisely on Thursday, June 29, 2023, some members of the Eke Neighbourhood watch received a distress call around 6 pm, stating that some hoodlums had blocked the road leading to Eke community from the Nigerian Breweries, while attending an event at 9th Mile, Udi Local Government, Enugu State.”
“That, in response to intelligence reports regarding the robbery attack on Eke Road, the Neighbourhood Watch launched a rescue attempt to salvage the situation.
“Upon receiving the distress call, the CSO of the Neighbourhood Watch, his deputy, and some members of the vigilante group who were all present at 9th Mile for the event, notified the DPO of the 9th Mile Police Station of their intention to proceed to the crime scene to rescue the victims, and based on his assurance that the police would also arrive, they immediately proceeded to the scene of the incident.
“They had no choice but to go to the crime scene on foot after encountering traffic congestion near the AMA Breweries (Nigerian Breweries plc.) that prevented members from using their patrol vehicle to get to the scene.
“When they arrived at the heist scene, they were greeted by three soldiers, who gave them the order to stop, which they did. The soldiers asked the guards to move on after they stopped since they were wearing their uniforms and identity cards and were not in their patrol vehicles. The guards told the troops they were part of the Eke Neighbourhood Vigilante Group.
“As Mr. Chukwuemeka Okeh and Mrs. Nechinyere Mbah approached the soldiers, the soldiers opened fire on them at close range, killing both.
“While the Assistant CSO, Emeka Anigbo, Obinna Offor, and Okolo Chinedu suffered varying degrees of gunshot injuries.”
Why this matters
The proposed condolence visit and compensation to the families can help to rebuild trust between the military and the local community. Trust is important for effective law enforcement and community relations, especially in areas prone to insecurity.
Bottom Line
This resolution demands accountability from the Nigerian Army for the wrongful deaths, highlighting the importance of holding military personnel responsible for their actions. It sets a precedent that the misuse of force will not be tolerated and that justice must be served.
