How Soldiers Invaded Bassa Villages In Nasarawa State, Killed Everyone On Sight-National Secretary , Bassa Cultural And Development Union
Rabiu Omaku
The National Secretary, Bassa Cultural and Development Union, Gwatana Huleji Dogwo has appealed to military authorities to probe the current attack on Zwere ,the only existing and populated Bassa settlement in Nasarawa state before the recent invasion by “Whirl Stroke Operation” killing everyone on sight.
Dogwo stated this while reacting to a press conference by soldiers on the January 9th ,2019 and published on the January 10th 2019 on the Sun Newspaper titled :”The Commander Of Operation Whirl Stroke In-Charge Of Nasarawa, Benue And Taraba States saying army recovered 45 assorted weapons and 701 rounds of ammunition from Bassa militia camp in Zwere , Toto Local Government of Nasarawa State.
He described the press conference as an effort to cover the truth and mislead the public, he averred that Zwere is one of the few surviving Bassa Villages in Toto Local Government Area and it is not a Basic militia camp as narated by military authority.
“Zwere is the capital of Zwere community headed by the Bassa and up to this moment the village head still draws his monthly salary from Toto LGC,therefore ,how on earth can such a historic settlement be tagged “militia camp” this is strange and the world must know the diabolic falsehood as mischievous indeed”.
He says the said recovered assorted weapons and rounds of ammunition cannot be true, how could the Bassa have been able to keep such sophisticated weapons the Bassa have been able to keep such weapons ? those that are running for their dear lives and seeking for what to eat and how to survive.
The “Whirl Stroke Operation” is reported to have been an intervention force established about eight months ago with the mandate to put an end to the incessant killings by herdsmen,militia groups and other criminal elements operating in Nasarawa,Benue and Taraba States”.
Agreed but are the Bassa’s herdsmen ? Let alone a militia group or criminal elements.the known militia group and criminal elements are the Egburra whose history is traced to 1997 when genocide against the Bassa was unleased.
“On the 8/1/2019 hords of soldiers sprang a surprise attack on Zwere,a Bassa community of Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa state by 4:30am ,armed soldiers surrounded the village in which it was destroyed and everyone on sight was killed.
“What offence have the Bassa committed to warrant extinction ? it is a well known fact that the ongoing war in Toto LGA between the Bassa and the Egburra has a long history and was caused by the Egburra.
This the third press conference to tell the world the intention annihilate the Bassa,reports have it that grenades and other destructive items were used by the soldiers to bring down the Zwere.
He said heinous crimes continue to elicit fundamental questions,who are these men ? Whether they are fake or genuine soldiers ? and who are their sponsors ?why are those responsible not brought to book ?.
According him,”On the preceding day of the attack which was Sunday January 7,2019 ,seven Hilux vans and a long Toyota Bus Coaster making 8 vehicles were seen we, sufilled with armed soldiers moving to Toto the following day Monday 8th ,2019,Bassa village of Zwere came under attack.
Bassa’s accused Egburra critical stakeholders for the gang up against their people with an intention to banished them from their ancestral place of abode.
“All the top politicians from Toto ranging from Member Federal House of Representatives representing Nasarawa/Toto,Hon.Arch.Jafar Mohammed Ibrahim is Egburra ,the Members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly are Egburra’s,Chairman of Toto Local Government, apart from those holding sensitive positions in the government are all of Egburra extraction did not allow us to return from exile aftermath 1997/98 crisis.
“Whether rich or poor,weak or strong we all have equal right to exist as people’.
“Our concern was that soldiers will stage a comeback probably to finish the few surviving Bassa villages”
Calling on the authority concern to do the needful to avert further bloodshed in the land.
When asked whether there was any frantic effort by the state government to forestall peace between the warring communities ,Dogwo said Bassa Community held a meeting at Nasarawa Liaison office at Asokoro last year and the governor assured us that he will create Turunku Chiefdom and this pronouncement was followed with serious agitation by the Egburra’s.
It could be recalled that the state government in its determination to end the ethnic skimishes in Toto has called on the warring communities to embrace inter-marriage.
The governor stated that any Egburra and Bassa that marriage any other would be rewarded,but Egburra’s at the Palace of Ohimege Opanda both old and young resisted the ideal while others says is the last thing they will because the also inherited the conflict which they though of continuing with it till eternity.
Maj.Gen.Adeyemi Yekini, the Commander of Operation Wild Stroke in charge of Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba,it could be recalled during a press briefing says the military has recovered 45 assorted weapons and 701 assorted ammunitions from Bassa militia camp in Zwere, Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
Yekini while presenting the recovered items before Journalists in Lafia said that the recovering of the items followed an intelligent reports.
“We have recovered a lot of times in terms of weapons, ammunitions and even in terms of arresting suspects in the last eight months.
“Two days ago, our force ran into ambush by suspected Bassa militia in Ugya, Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State but we thank God nobody died.
“We were able to clear the abush and even inflicted injuries/casaulties on the militia.
“We began operation and we discovered the Bassa suspected militia camp at Zwere,Toto Local Government Area of the state.
“We were able to recovered 45 assorted weapons and 701 assorted ammunitions which includes 39 locally made Rifle, 2 G3 rifle, 3 locally made pistol, 1 SMG, 5 G3 rifle magazines, 4 revolver cartridge holder
“Others are 9 mm pistol links is 100,speical rounds,NA
TO rounds, military uniforms, handsets, charms among others, “he said.
He advised militias and other criminal elements in the area and the state at large to shun criminal activities in their interest and in the interest of peace and development.
The Commander Operation Officer said that the will continue to be up and doing in order to flush out criminals in Nasarawa, Benue and Trans states.