In his continued drive to resolve insecurity, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa has continued his campaign for use of dialogue in the resolutions of differences between the military and communities with an engagement with aggrieved communities in Imo state.
A delegation from Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on Wednesday visited two communities in Owerri, Imo state to listen to their grievances with a view to resolving them.
The delegation, led by Group Captain Ibrahim Bukar visited Mgbirichi and Obinze communities in Ohaji/Egbema LGA and Owerri West LGA respectively to hear the grievances of the people.
In Mgbirichi, the Military Delegation visited the traditional ruler, His Majesty, Eze A. R. Ikegwuruka, Ezeahurukwe 11, Paramount Ruler, Mgbirichi/Abakuru Land, in Ohaji/Egbema LGA, Imo State and later addressed a town hall meeting where the people freely aired their grievances against the 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze over the land they community donated for the establishment of the barracks.
Eze A. R. Ikegwuruka while receiving the Delegation alleged that the Brigade had encroached on the community land beyond what was originally donated by the community.
In addition, he complained that the land given by his people was no longer being used for military operations and setting up of military facilities.
He then requested that if the military did not need all the land, it should be given back to the community which he said, has dire need for the land particularly for farming.
The population of his community, he argued had increased quite much and that any portion of the land recovered would enable his subjects have avenue to undertake economic activities particularly farming.
He also lamented the menace of kidnappers and herdsmen who, allegedly, have been wreaking havoc in Mgbirichi and called for assistance from the military in containing them.
Eze Ikegwuruka condemned people who take laws into their hand saying that he has prevailed on the youths to avoid adopting illegal and unconstitutional means in addressing their grievances.
Said the traditional ruler: “The timing of your visit is apt. It is something what saying that given the situation of things in Nigeria today, there is definite need for synergy between communities, the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), other civil operatives in Nigeria to actually look into the security situation we have in the country today which is not good.
“I know from the inception the 34 Artillery Brigade at Mgbirichi and Obinze, we have enjoyed a cordial relationship.
“I think since 1978 to date, I don’t think anybody alive can remember a situation where there was a clash of interest between Mgbirichi people and the 34 Artillery Brigade until recent events which I am in a position to talk about.
“We still ask for the cooperation of the 34 Artillery Brigade here to enable us take care of any kind of adverse security situation we might find ourselves in.
“As you said before, no country can exist without their military and no military can exist without the complements of their citizens,” Eze Ikegwuruka asserted.
Continuing he said, “Agitation in a democracy is a right as long as people agitate peacefully without resorting to bearing arms or fighting those that are constitutionally mandated to protect either by killing security operatives.
“But I must tell you that recently, there have been some discontent between the community and the Brigade here. When I say the Brigade because they are here and they are the faces of Abuja.
“I am not trying to indict the Brigade so to say, but the relationship we have enjoyed over the years is now being encumbered in the sense that we are witnessing arbitrary demarcation of land boundaries here.”
“The map that the community has when the land that was acquired by the state Government and donated to the Military is not the map that is being used now for the purposes of the Military operations here.
“We have not resorted to violence, we have resorted to peaceful demonstration and peaceful means of resolving it.
“But unfortunately, we have witnessed recently, the act of arbitrary demarcation of the land to the point of fencing and then also to the acquisition of large expanse of land that was donated to the military. So e areas that we believe that compensations were not paid for that are now being used for activities we dont know whether that was the purpose for which that land was acquired. We are still rural dwellers whose major sustenance is farming.
“So if the purpose for the acquisition of the land is no longer there, then it behoves on the Government and the military to, maybe, cede some portions of the land back to the community because the population is growing. Our children are here and they still need land to build, farm and all that,.” Eze Ikegwuruka said.
Earlier in his speech, Group Captain Ibrahim Bukar had told the traditional ruler that the CDS, General Musa firmly believes that military might alone cannot solve security challenges facing Nigeria hence he decided to adopt both military and non-kinetic measures in tackling the challenges.
“The barrel of the gun has its own limitations. That is why the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) decided we must talk to traditional rulers, community and opinion leaders to talk to their subjects so that by and large, Nigeria will be a better place.
“Again, one worrisome issue is the IPOB. They are our children, they are our wards. We must talk to them to take the path of negotiation. Let us exploit dialogue. One other issue the CDS is worried about is the issue of spreading false and wrong information using the social media either to undermine military operations or fuel problems.
“We should circulate such information. We need to talk to our wards and children to desist from that. They should verify information before they circulate it especially if such information has the tendency to undermine national security. This is the plea of the CDS. That is why we are here,” Bukar said.
At the town hall meeting, the visibly angry members of the community said the land they gave to the military was being used for building commercial estates for sale to members of the public hence their agitation that the land should be returned to the the community.
The President General of the Mgbirichi Town Union, Elder Emma Ubaka said ” we appeal that the Army should humanly consider going back to the originally acquired land given to them by the then State Government in the late 70s and return the newly acquired land to the original owners. This is our stand as a community.
In Obinze Town, the traditional ruler, Eze A. C. Enyinnaya, (JP), Nzeukwu 1 of Obinze after listening to the message of General Musa also complained about herders destroying farm crops and alleged that soldiers were taking advantage of their position to edge local people out of civil businesses like sand dredging.
They also also complained about kidnappings, and emergence of illegal drug markets around the military land.
In all the engagements, Group Captain Bukar and the Public relations officer of the Brigade, Captain A. Akubo told the people that soldiers would continue to address their challenges while the major issues raised by them would be sent to the Defence Headquarters for due attention.
