How Governor Al-Makura Is Plotting To Frame Me Up As A Sponsor of New Ombatse Violence In Nasarawa

 

Former Minister of Information Labaran Maku has cried out over an alleged plot by the State Governor Al-Makura is scheming to frame him as a new sponspor of the new Ombatse violence in Nasarawa State.

In statement signed by him, the former Minister said he writes to alert the general Public over plot to frame him up as the sponspor of the alleged new Ombatse violence in Nasarawa State.

Read the Full Statement below:

I wish to alert the general public through the media that there is a plot to frame me up as a sponsor of alleged new Ombatse violence in Nassarawa state

On Wednesday 3rd August 2016, Governor Tanko Almakura invited traditional Rulers to a meeting and made me the topic of discussion, accusing me of sponsoring crisis in the state. Shortly after, a member of the House of Assembly, who is a virulent surrogate of the Governor, moved a motion on the floor of the House alleging the emergence of a new Ombatse group with alleged plans to attack some communities in the state. Subsequently, there have been rumours that some Eggon youths are to be arrested and used to accuse me as the sponsor of a new Ombatse group.

Early this week the chairman of the Traditional Council wrote the Aren Eggon, alleging that some Eggon youths were allegedly planning to unleash violence on some communities in the state. On Wednesday the police commissioner went to the Aren Eggon Palace with the same Allegations. Surprisingly, on my way to attend the stakeholders meeting of my party the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Lafia on Thursday 11 August 2016, I got a call from the police commissioner (Bello Mohammed) to see him at the command headquarters, Lafia.

At the command headquarters in Lafia, I was informed that I was invited in order to respond to some information of an alleged fresh plot by a new Ombatse group to attack Asakio on Saturday August 13th 2016. I was asked if I was aware of the plans by the new Ombatse group and I made it clear that I had no knowledge of either a new Ombatse group or plans by them to cause violence anywhere in the state.

They further disclosed that they have information that I was the sponsor of the new group, I replied that It would be most strange to associate my good self with violence in any form because throughout my life I have never belonged to any cult or took part in any evil against any human being.

For the sake of clarity, I took the security chiefs down the memory lane. It will be recalled that when Ombatse group arose in 2011 mainly as part of the governorship campaign by the defunct CPC, I was the only Public figure in Nasarawa state that rose against the Ombatse group. Indeed not only did I embark on public media and community campaigns against Ombatse, I summoned meetings of stakeholders in Abuja to help the state government with solutions to end the violence by Ombatse and Fulani mercenaries who were brought into the state. It is also on record that I collaborated with the state government to hold the Abuja meetings and forwarded a blueprint to the governor through his Special Adviser on security, Gen. A.T Umaru Rtd.

I also reminded the security chiefs that because of my well known role in opposing Ombatse violence and Fulani mercenary violence in the state, the judicial commission of inquiry set up by Gov. Al Makura didn’t even invite me to its sittings.

It is also a well known fact that during the course of my campaigns for governorship seat in 2015, I never tolerated violence and when I was rigged out I went through the courts up to the Supreme Court without resorting to violent means to pursue my stolen mandate. It is therefore mischievous for anybody to allege that I conspired with any one or group to attack communities which overwhelmingly voted for me in the April 2015 election.

I am therefore completely taken aback by the latest insinuations and innuendos linking me to alleged plot to commit violence. These insinuations and allegations started immediately after I addressed a press conference on Monday 25 July 2016 to speak out against the harrowing socio-economic situation in Nasarawa State and the collapse of governance and public service in the state.

In that press conference, I called on our President and the National Assembly to declare a state of economic and social emergency in Nasarawa so as to halt our dear state’s drift into the abyss. Immediately after the conference, a flurry of attacks by the State Government against my person and the Eggon community began. Governor Al Makura on Wednesday 3rd July took time to lambast me and the Eggon community before the Traditional rulers, alleging plots to start violence in the state .

The State Government had earlier through its spokesman, Yakubu Lamai, alleged that I had aided the Ombatse violence in the state when I was Minister of Information. He wrote all manner of unspeakable things about my person in response to my call for the declaration of a state of economic and social emergency in Nasarawa State. Also When workers started their strike against non-payment of salaries months back in the state, government spokespersons attacked my person by claiming that I was the one sponsoring workers to go on strike.

I had earlier ignored the attacks preferring to focus on the issues of governance in the state until the latest attempt to demonize me as a sponsor of violence in a bid to destroy my reputation and to silence the opposition in the state. The latest efforts to associate me with alleged plots to cause violence is not only a bolt from the blues, it introduces a very dangerous dimension to the political environment in my state.

Issues relating to the emergence of Ombatse and Fulani mercenaries in Nasarawa state are matters of public knowledge. Severally, the group had explained itself and their financiers in the government of Nassarawa state. Not only am I opposed to all forms of violence, it is instructive to note that as supervising Minister of Defence, I ensured that troops were deployed to the state which led to the stabilization of peace in Assakio, Daddare, Obi, Agwatashi and other places in the state.

That I am Eggon is not a reason for anyone to set me up because I speak out about the crisis of governance in my state.

Let it be known that I have played several critical roles as peace advocate in Nasarawa state and Nigeria, and I can never be part of any group to sponsor violence in my native state which is still largely buffeted by crisis in Doma, Nasarawa, Obi, Kokona and Lafia LGAs where herdsmen still kill and maim people and displace communities within and outside the borders of Nasarawa state.

This sudden attempt to associate my good name to the new so-called new Ombatse violence is politically motivated to destroy my reputation and silence the oppressed in Nasarawa State.

Signed:

Labaran Maku, (CON)

Former Minister of Information and National Secretary, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)