Danjuma allegation: Panel submits report, Buratai to make it public

Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, have vowed to make the report of the investigative panel set up to unravel alleged military connivance with herdsmen in the killings of innocent persons in Taraba State public.

Buratai made this known when members of the committee submitted their report to him at the Army Headquarters in Abuja This is even as the panel set up by Buratai to carry out verification of authentic arms and ammunition in possession of Army units and formations across the country have also submitted its report.

Buratai, while receiving the reports at the Army Headquarters, expressed worry at the allegations leveled against the Army in its handling of the Taraba crisis, and vows to make the report public in the shortest possible time.

The Army Chief, who said that the report would first be sent to superior authorities before making it public through the media, said the public would be in a better position to judge the panel’s report as nothing will be left unturned.

“I want to say that the report will be thoroughly studied and findings released to the public and the media,” he said while receiving the report from Joseph Nimmyel-led committee.

Also receiving the panel report on the audit of the number of arms and weapons in the possession of Army units and formations, Buratai said the panel was set up because of the proliferation of arms and light weapons not just in Nigeria but across the country’s borders.

“You will agree with me that the committee has done justice to the assignment. We will do our best to safeguard our arms and other vital weapons,” Buratai said.

“Arms verification is not simply as people think it is. However, we will pay special attention to it, especially at this period where there’s proliferation of arms and light weapons, not just in our country but also across our borders.

“This verification will assist us to identify if there’s any gaps or loopholes so that we can address the issues immediately.

‘We will do our best to preserve our arms and other vital weapons so that they don’t get into wrong hands,” he said.