Former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) has advised communities attacked by herdsmen in the country to rise up to defend themselves.
He said that it would be suicidal for the people to continue to rely on the armed forces to defend them, saying that the military has compromised.
Danjuma who made this call yesterday in Jalingo at the maiden convocation of the Taraba State University, Jalingo, where he was presented with an honorary doctorate of science degree accused the Nigerian Armed Forces of colluding with the killer herdsmen to embark on ethnic cleansing agenda.
His words: “In this state and, of course, the riverine state of Nigeria, we must resist it. We must stop it. Everyone of us must rise up. The armed forces are not neutral. They collude with the armed bandits that kill people, kill Nigerians; they facilitate their movement; they cover them. If you’re depending on the armed forces to stop the killings, you’ll all die one by one. The ethnic cleansing must stop in Taraba State, it must stop in all the other states of Nigeria. Otherwise, Somalia would be child’s play.
“I ask every one of you to be alert and defend your country, defend your territory, defend your state. You have nowhere else to go. God bless our country.”
Residents of Danjuma’s hometown of Takum had earlier accused the army of brutality and extortion over attacks on communities in the area by armed herdsmen since the commencement of Operation Cat Race.
Danjuma, therefore, said: “Taraba is a miniature Nigeria with diverse ethnic and cultural heritage that the armed bandits are trying to bring to ruins. You must rise up to the challenge and resist that”.
Also speaking during the ceremony, the state governor, Darius Ishaku, said that the university was a great blessing to the state and appreciated the founders for their great dream that has brought education closer to the people and provided employment for many.
He said he would continue to support the university to position it as one of the leading universities in the country.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Vincent Tenebe disclosed that 5,500 graduands had various degrees, with 29 First Class, 1,006 Second Class, Upper Division, over a span of five sets.
General Danjuma also made N1 million donation to the university endowment fund.
-Sun