House of Representatives has condemned the assault on Old Barn Hotel in Gboko area of Benue State and its guests by men of the Nigerian Army on March 18, 2023. The House urged the chiefs of Defense and Army Staff to commence a comprehensive investigation of the incident and ensure that evidence is obtained from civilian witnesses, with the view to identifying the soldiers that were responsible for this mayhem.
The lawmakers asked the Army chiefs to appear before the House to explain the circumstances behind the unprovoked attack and why the military officers did not carry proper identification or inform the civilians about their mission.
The Army is expected to explain the military’s rules of engagement during election monitoring and other engagements with the civilian population, especially considering the extrajudicial killing of two young men in Gboko by the same 401 Special Forces Brigade on 18th March 2023 for alleged ballot snatching.
The House, however, mandated the committee on Army to ensure compliance and report to the House within two weeks for further legislative action.
The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on the ‘Need to Investigate the Assault on Residents of Gboko and Guests of Old Barn Hotel’, Gboko by men of the 401 Special Forces Brigade of the Nigerian Army: sponsored by Hon. Mark Gbillah.
It was concerned about the worsening spate of military and police brutality, extra-judicial killings by security operatives of civilians and unarmed Nigerians.
The House expressed worry about the unfortunate incidence where some officers of the Nigerian Army allegedly assaulted and brutalized several persons and guests.
The military men, numbering over 20 allegedly stormed the hotel in Nigerian Army trucks and dressed in military uniforms but without any identifiers such as nametags, any form of personal identity or ranks.
“The House is disturbed that the military men ordered all persons within view to move, gather in groups and squat on the ground without explanation such cruel and inhuman treatment.
“The House is also worried that in the course of obeying the Army Officers’ commands, one of the soldiers accosted the Honourable and slapped him.
“Also disturbed that despite introducing himself as a serving member of the House of Representatives, the soldier rather poured more invectives on the Honourable and ordered his subordinates to slap him and in an attempt to defend himself from the unprovoked assault, about 20 soldiers pounced on him and others with guns and brutally assaulted them, this resulted in serious injuries on his head, face, shoulders, chest, back, both arms, and legs.
“Further disturbed that this same team of soldiers were allegedly responsible for the extrajudicial killings of at least two (2) persons in Gboko in two separate instances on the same day,” it stated.
