The South East elders also asked President Goodluck Jonathan to redress the omission of “Ndigbo in the council of security chiefs of the country.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, spoke on behalf of Igbo elders at a news conference in Abuja.
Chukwumerije said the threat of Northern Elders Forum to drag the immediate past COAS and six others to the International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC) in The Hague is capable of unleashing a national ill-wind that will do no one any good in the country.
He noted that the approach of the Northern Elder Forum to a national problem is “selective, patently biased, apparently in search of preconceived culprits, pointedly indifferent to the demands of national unity, and highly provocative to the sensibilities of all who genuinely desire the unity and stability of this country.”
Though he emphasized that senseless sacrifice of a human life is indefensible, the lawmaker noted that violations of human rights have remained the bane of Africa.
He said, “A society that has no respect for human life is nearer the status of a community of animals. But the situation in the universally acknowledged difficult terrain of a borderless war such as terrorism, counter terrorism and guerilla-like conflicts offers a unique challenge.”
Chukwumerije, who spoke at the National Assembly added: “The motives of Prof. Ango Abdullahi and co are obviously beyond concerns about violations of human rights. This is so because the incident of Bama (Baga) has been investigated and put to rest long ago.
“For instance, the Senate sent a strong team to the area in June 2013 after the incident. After a thorough on-the-spot investigation which extended to interviews with all concerned officials (Director of SSS, State Governor, Commander of the Multi-National Joint Task Force, and stakeholders of the community) and visit to the grave yard, the Senate Committee concluded as follows: ‘the death toll of 185 was exaggerated but there may be more than 37 deaths.”
Chukwumerije, who said the Senate endorsed the report noted that “definitely, there were no massacres to the scale that demanded the judicial sanctions of The Hague.
He posed three questions: “Why the blatantly selective search for responsibility in Bama (Baga) and why so personal?
“Every citizen (including Prof. Ango Abdullahi) knows that the anti-terrorism campaign in the North is a joint-military operation under the command of the Chief of Defence Staff.
“In singling out Lt. General Ihejirika, the then Army boss, the likes of Prof. Ango Abdullahi are merely betraying old prejudices and embarking on new hazardous search for bad names to hang hated dogs.
“Besides, the fact that Prof. Ango Abdullahi and co sprung into action immediately Lt. General Ihejirika and ‘six others’ left their commands has revealed the depth of long-smoldering resentment of the campaign against Boko Haram by the self-proclaimed leaders of the North.
The position of the Northern Elders Forum, he said, “raises a question about where their sympathy lies in this battle” against Boko Haram.
Chukwumerije further asked, “Why single out Bama (Baga) incident for Hague’s adjudication?” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Northern elder forum should help unite the country as elders. I can't understand why they are always annoyed. Elders should'nt be so always. We can settle many of these challenges if the northern elders coperate. May God touch their hearts.
ReplyDeleteGood defence for my kinsman who served his country well. Well done nwanneukwu. Emeka Udeagu
ReplyDeleteNorthern Children's Forum,,,,,, Rubbish,,,, They Are The Sponsors Of Boko,H,
ReplyDeleteThis Was Exactly What They Did Till They Created The Civil War.... Very Devilish Set Of People... I Only Pity GEJ Who Continue To Feel That He Can Please The North....Exactly What Late Gen..Ironsi Did Before The Crafty Set Of People Killed Him...
We Are So Divided That It Is Now A threat For Any Zone Of This Country Not To Be In The Council Of Security Chiefs... GEJ Better Be CareFul... THE CORE NORTH WILL VERY SOON BE HUMBLED,,,JUST LIKE THE IGBO'S.... TRUST GOD
We in the NORTH CENTRAL want these characters to define the North they are talking about and leave us out henceforth. Otherwise nobody should mind the so-called Northern elders. They are just rabble-rousing and are not our representatives.. They remember they are elders from the North only when they think it affects hausa-fulani. No body should take them serious.
ReplyDeleteWhen Obasanjo went and killed Nigerians in Zaki-biam (Benue state) that the so-called northern elders categorize as Northerners for their political gains only, did you hear any one of them talk? What Obasanjo did in Zaki Biam was worse than Bama!!! Did they talk or even whimper?
Did the Northern elders not complain when General Victor Malu from Benue State was appointed as a service chief?
From Now on, we want these fellows to be categorical that they are talking for the North East, North West or both and not for the whole of Northern Nigeria that includes North Central.THEY DON'T REPRESENT US IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA.
Northern elites do not represent the masses so please remember that. They are just not thinking clearly or else they would have been equally angry about the mass slaughter of southerners by the boko haram they initially created. They are just trying to distract people from asking why they have had decades of absolute power abd riches yet nothing was done for the development of their region but wait for oil money handouts to pocket for thier families. Now the piper payer is calling tunes and they are bitter. Born to rule was not meant to be forever jare.
ReplyDeleteWell done my Isikwuato Brother, u have done well. Dont worry urself about the north God has taken over from them.
ReplyDeleteAnon @8:52pm, One Ukpandevel! True talk, this Northern Elders have not come out to strongly condemned the atrocities of their PET-BH.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the Igbos have the time and energy to waste arguing with these COWS.
Who do the so called Northern Infants think they are?they do not represent the nation neither do they have a voice. Northern elders who have failed in their responsibility to tackle the menace of boko haram. Are they going to claim they donot know the sponsors of boko haram? They have no right to drag the immediate past chief of army staff to ICC. It will only be a waste of time
ReplyDeleteThis is the main reason why this country won't progress..we are quick to get behind our kinsmen even if they are wrong and very corrupt. Its high time we start seeing things beyond ethnic divide. I'm ok with any appointed official from whatever tribe as long as he or she would do the work diligently and selflessly.
ReplyDeleteNigerians just call anybody 'elder' based on age, even when the idiot is a drunk withe mind of a child.
ReplyDeleteThe country cannot go forward with this stone-age thinking.
Stupid!
J.
All well said! The so called northern elders are the one meant to be dragged to the Hague!! Imagine their audacity! The South West is with the East on this!! Enough is Enough
ReplyDeleteUseless responses; what is wrong about taking someone to court? clean conscience fears no accusation.
ReplyDeleteTo me, Ihejika had done a good job based on the tasks bestowed on him as a soldier even GEJ maintains he has done nothing, and that was the reason why he was sacked however, if someone or a group of people feels aggrieved about how he went about his jobs, please let the person or whoever go ahead to court, he must be vindicated on court outcome.
This not what Igbo's should see as a senseless tribal Mumu war.
any one abusing nothern elders is an idiot,animal,dog,nd ur fmly members are useles thievs nonsens.
ReplyDeleteSo these elders make you proud eh?
Delete