The Nigerian Army High Command hit back at Plateau State governor Jonah Jang Wednesday over comments he made on Tuesday attributing last Sunday’s violence in three villages of Jos South local government leading to the death of about 500 people to he Army’s laxity, saying it was not only embarrassing to the Army but also a display of naivety by a military officer.
Explaining that the internal security operation in Jos, the Plateau State capital had since been converted to a Joint military operation following incessant crises in the area, the Army expressed surprise that the governor spuriously decided to target the Army when the operation involves personnel of the Nigeria Army, Nigeria Navy, Nigeria Airforce and the Police.

A statement signed by Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, Director of Army Public Relations and titled, ‘Governor Jang’s Unfortunate statement’ reads: “The Nigerian Army has noted with serious concern a statement made by the Governor of Plateau State, Da Jonah Jang to the effect that last Sunday’s killings in the Jos South Local Government Area of the State could have been averted if the Army had acted on the early intelligence report he provided”.

“Coming from a Chief Executive and Chief Security Officer of a State with substantial military background, it is unfortunate that Air Commodore David Jang (rtd) has demonstrated an embarrassing naivety in interpreting the dynamics of land operations. The Governor would have spared the nation his unfortunate remarks if only he consulted sufficiently before making his inciting declaration”.

“That Governor Jang visited the Defence Headquarters today (Wednesday, 10 March, 2010) clearly indicates that he knows the appropriate authority to consult in the event of dissatisfaction with the action of any Army commander. Rather than follow this process, he resorted to inflammatory remarks targeted at rubbishing the Army. His allegation insinuating bias is indeed unfortunate”.

“It is noteworthy that the Nigerian Army is involved in internal security operations in virtually all states of the Federation including Plateau State. The record of the Army’s performance in all these operations has continued to attract commendation and appreciation even in the face of numerous challenges”.

“Governor Jang’s ceaseless attack on the Army only goes to confirm his extraordinary partisanship to which the Army will not be blackmailed into supporting”.

“It is common knowledge that the Internal Security operation in Jos, Plateau State is a Joint military operation involving the various services and the Nigeria Police Force. This situation arose when the Police could not cope at the onset of the Jos crisis in January 2010 and the military was legally drafted to restore law and order in Plateau State”.

“The operation now involves personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police and the State Security Service among others. It is therefore unfortunate that Governor Jang’s spurious claims were specifically targeted at tarnishing the good image of the Army”.

“The Governor may have his political or other intents to achieve, but he should desist from compounding issues, at least in the interest of the people who are endangered by his proposition and disdain for the Army in particular”.

“Although the Army is briefing appropriate authorities on its operations and believes that appropriate response to Governor Jang’s attack on the Army is forthcoming, it is necessary to reassure Nigerians that the Army is not involved in any complicity as suggested by Governor Jang through his numerous channels for blackmail. The Army will continue to make its vital inputs into the ongoing joint operations of the Special Task Force as duly mandated by the Federal Government of Nigeria”.

“The Nigerian Army wishes to make it emphatically clear that it has no other interest in the state other than commitment to the operation and restoration of peace. The Army high command is working in concert with Defence Headquarters to guide the operations of the Joint Task Force in Plateau State towards achieving Government’s intention of ensuring adequate security in the area as quickly as possible”.

“The Nigerian Army seizes this opportunity to commiserate with the families who have lost their loved ones in the unfortunate incident of last Sunday and previous skirmishes associated with the crisis in Plateau State”.

“The Army therefore appeals for the understanding of the public and stakeholders in particular to support the joint operations and ignore those who engage in all sorts of misinformation, unwarranted and provocative statements with the main vision of rubbishing Army’s record of effectiveness. Meanwhile, the Army members of the joint task force are enjoined to remain focused and ignore attempts to dampen their morale in this critical national assignment”.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/03/10/army-fights-back-says-gov-jangs-statement-embarrassing-display-of-naivety/

did the governor call you?pls answer that question before trading blames

where did this fellow address Jonah Jang's specific allegations? All i see here is an attempt to rubbish the governor. What did the army do to forestall this unfortunate incident?

These guys were complicit, or at the very least negligent. No rebuttal of Jang's allegations in this press statement, all the spokesman did was attack the Governor's personality.

Jonah never named the commander he called

he kept refering to the 'commander'

if he did call anyone, let him give the name and number

it can be confirmed from mtn/ zain/etisalat call records

oyb:

Jonah never named the commander he called

he kept refering to the 'commander'

if he did call anyone, let him give the name and number

it can be confirmed from mtn/ zain/etisalat call records

who else if not the most superior officer in the GOC. Jang said he could not get through to any of them. If Jang was wrong, he would have said Jang never called. Why didnt he say that? He's busy talking like a politician.

Fallacy, the guy did made calls, but he is afraid to pinpoint. we are heading to elastic limit

They didn't say "He didn't call us" all they said was "Are we the only one? afterall the Nigerian Police and Nigerian Navy are there as well"

larimo:

who else if not the most superior officer in the GOC. Jang said he could not get through to any of them. If Jang was wrong, he would have said Jang never called. Why didnt he say that? He's busy talking like a politician.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-411138.0.html

The governor, a retired military officer, told journalists at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, that he got wind of the movement of armed Fulani into the Berom village on Saturday night and personally called the army commander to inform him of the development, and the need to take immediate actions to forestall any ugly incident.

The army has been in charge of security in Jos and other parts of Plateau State since the January 2010 episode of the crisis, which also resulted in the loss of many lives.

According to Jang, the army commander promised to move soldiers into the village to check the roving band.

Jang, who explained that he lives near the affected village, admitted that some moments after he made the call, he observed a tank, presumably belonging to the army, drive past his residence, moving towards the village.

However, Jang said that when he later received reports that people were being killed in the village, his efforts to contact the army commander were futile as his telephone lines “were unavailable.”

Other commanders of the army could also not be reached at the time the attack was going on, according to Jang.

Narrating his experience on the day of the attacks, Jang said, “I received reports at about 9pm that some movement of people with arms were seen around those villages, and I reported to the commander of the army and he told me he was going to move some troops there.

“And because it is near where I live, I even saw a tank pass through my house and I thought it was going towards that area.

“Three hours or so later, I was woken by a call that they had started burning the villages and people were being hacked to death. I started trying to locate the commanders but I couldn’t get any of them on the telephone.”

let the man name names - let us know who the incompetents are.

it is odd that a military officer is using terms like 'commander of the army' , imho

i expected d press statement to exonerate d army,na today?it is not a new tin.Gov Jang was direct in his allegation,n i may say he knows d commander's name but doen't want to make it public.d nigerian army for sure was privy to d killing n aided d massacre by d vampires.

This army PRO has obviously been reading a lot of press releases by political image makers.It doesnt address issues at

stake, its undisciplined and outright rude and embellished with a whole lot of cant. Chris Olukayode is a disgrace to the

army. He should be reassigned to other duties far from the press. Hopefully we will hear sth reasonable soon from the army

oyb:


https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-411138.0.html

let the man name names - let us know who the incompetents are.

it is odd that a military officer is using terms like 'commander of the army' , imho

how do u expect him to do that?this is a very sensitive case n such is not for public consumption

You guys have to understand that there is money politics in the military too. Someone i know personally once told me that Jang refuses to grease the palms of these commanders with money from his security vote and that's why they have a touchy relationship. It's no secret in kd that the government spends millions keeping the Joint military patrol motivated so they're quick to react to anything around the metropolis.

udennaa:

how do u expect him to do that?this is a very sensitive case n such is not for public consumption

what is not for public consumption?

500 nigerians were massacred in cold blood, and the people assigned to protect them were no were to be found and jonah is afraid to name them? why?

the names of the commanding officers posted to jos should even be in the public record - so let him name them and let them explain why they did nothing.

the army PRO is doing what PROs do everywhere - damage control.

or are we waiting for al jazeera to publish the names before we can have a probe by the senate ?

What exactly is this Army PRO guys point.

He is saying that Jang shouldnt have mentioned the Army alone but also the Navy and Airforce.

OK PRO did Jang tell you about the situation or not?

Heartless

It will all end in grammar as usual.

I think it is unfair that the Nigerian citizens pay tax considering how useless the
govt is.

oyb:

what is not for public consumption?

500 nigerians were massacred in cold blood, and the people assigned to protect them were no were to be found and jonah is afraid to name them? why?

the names of the commanding officers posted to jos should even be in the public record - so let him name them and let them explain why they did nothing.

the army PRO is doing what PROs do everywhere - damage control.

or are we waiting for al jazeera to publish the names before we can have a probe by the senate ?  

i dont think jonah is afraid to name him,he may have given d commanders name to d army authorities.d statement as usual by d army is a smokescreen since d allegation by jang was made pubicly.
jang is a retired military officer n he sure knows making d commander's name public will not help d situation,but it is not yet late,when pushed too far,he may.

This statement does not refute the Governors allegation. All it says is 'shey na we be  the only ones? so why harp the blame solely on the Army'. The Governor should come out and name names jare.

If i'm not mistaken it should be one Saleh Maina who was formerly in the south south. He should be a hausa man.

This is just a spin.If Jang hadn't called the GOC he wld hav said so outright.In fact from this write up i'm more convinced the army must have propped up the killers in some way.

Its obvious FALSEHOOD can easily be decoded no matter how hard the people involved try to cover it. Its obvious the army commander was informed of the impending attack.

MY BROTHER IT IS CLEAR THE NIGERIAN ARMY IS BIASED AND BASICALLY AN HAUSA FULANI ARMY, COMMANDERS DID JANG CALL YOU OR NOT SIMPLE AND THERE YOU ARE GIVING RHETORIC

Why wont they be shifting blame when the army is biased? Were they not supposed to be on a stand by since there was tension in jos already. I dont like this. FG needs to do something fast. Those who bear the brutality of a riot or war or clashes are usually women and children!!!Enough of blame shifting. They need action.

@Ayemokhia,
that picture is disheartening. please remove it and let the mother and her child rest in peace.

Trading blames eh!

That army commander did not say what he did to stop the problem. He did not deny getting the call from the governor. All he talks about is that it was not only his job. This man could not even work as a a lower level civilian employee anywhere else in the world with that attitude to his job. Has he seen the evil that happened in Jos? WHAT DID YOU DO MR COMMANDER. Even if nobody else did anything. What did you do. Did you send in a batallion of soldiers in on Saturday night as soon as you got the call from the governor. Did you call the your fellow people in charge (the head of the so called airforce and navy) to discuss how you can stop these demon possessed agents of darkness from killing innocent babies. Ehn? What did you command Mr commander

There is no doubt the PRO has been properly tutored by politicians. His statements make me remember Ofonogoro and the likes.

one day the hunter shall be hunted, trust me its very soon

The Army were political in their public statement. They failed to answer to Jangs Allegation

horrible

@edoyad, yeah saleh maina is hausa/fulani is there anything you can do about it, you can only live with it.

lol, what a country . . .

18 platoon:

@edoyad, yeah saleh maina is hausa/fulani is there anything you can do about it, you can only live with it.

you must be one of the fulani marauders. do not worry, a time of great tribulation will soon come upon you and your ilk. terrorists and murderers. i wonder how your people sleep at night.