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Nigerian troops move to protect northern villagers

17 July 2012 03:18 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The relocation of some villagers from some communities in central north Nigeria’s Plateau State was aimed at protecting them, the country’s defense headquarters said here on Monday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

The military action came in the wake of recent attacks by gunmen in some communities of the state.

Violence reached a crescendo when two lawmakers were killed in attacks claimed by the Boko Haram sect during a burial ceremony. At least 90 people had been killed in earlier attacks.

The Nigerian security requested residents of Mahanga, Kakuruk, Kuzen, Maseh and Shong in the state to move to a safer place for military operations to take place.

Defense chief policy and plans officer AVM. Dick Iruenabere told a news conference that moving them away from the villages was to enable the military to take necessary action to check terrorism in the troubled areas.

According to him, the action was in the best interest of both the villagers and the rest of the people of the country, stressing that the movement was not an attempt to deny certain communities their places.

Iruenabere told reporters that the Fulanis and the Beroms were living together in harmony in the camps provided by the State Government, adding that the military never believed that the Fulanis were responsible for the recent attacks.

He said what the military was doing was to ensure that damage to innocent people was reduced, if not avoided completely.

Plateau State is situated in Nigeria’s middle belt where the Muslim-dominated north and the Christian-dominated south meet. It has seen years of ethnic tensions and is a major potential flashpoint ahead of the April presidential elections.