JOS: PRESIDENCY, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MUST QUESTION GOC

Jos: 'Presidency, N'Assembly must question GOC'
From Mariam Aleshinloye Agboola, Jos
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Presidency, National Assembly, military high command as well as the international community have been called upon to demand from the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3rd Armoured Division, General Saleh Maina, an explanation on what happened in Dogo Nahawa.

National Youth Council of Nigeria, Plateau State branch said in a more civilized community where lives are valued, court marshal would have been meted out to those who, through act of commission or omission, allowed such a calamity to happen.

A statement issued in Jos and signed by its National Chairman, Iliya Lar and Chairman, Confederation of Plateau State Youth Movements, noted that the GOC should not go scot- free, stressing that with the international attention the genocide has attracted, he must give explanation pertaining to operation in the state.

It described as unfortunate the statement credited to the army spokesman, Brig. Chris Olukolade defending the role of the Nigerian Army after Governor Jonah Jang raised grave security issues on its operational issue before and during the massacre. The groups pointed out that judging by the time he gave the alert, even if the soldiers had left from Abuja to where the incident occurred, it would have got there before the gruesome murder.

'In the light of the international attention and the scrutiny this security lapse is attracting, the Nigrian Army is hard put to extricate itself from blame for this serious blunder.'