The Nigerian military and the police have increased their intelligence gathering capacities in a bid to stem the increasing violent attacks on communities by armed herdsmen, it has been gathered.
This came as the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday disclosed that a committee set up to undertake assessment of herdsmen’s attacks, with a view to identifying the remote and immediate causes, has submitted its report.
It will be recalled that a few months ago, suspected Fulani herdsmen massacred over 200 people and displaced many others in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
In April, another massacre was carried out in Nimbo community, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.
About 20 people were reportedly killed with scores displaced. The police have since arrested five of the suspects that invaded the Enugu community.
A few days ago, a Tiv group claimed that over 984 of its people had been killed in attacks orchestrated by suspected herdsmen between 2014 and 2016.
However, it was learnt that the military and the police have deployed re-invigorated intelligence apparatuses, needed to stop the rampaging armed herdsmen.
The increased intelligence, it was learnt, was necessitated by the need to urgently check the incident, to prevent it from assuming the dimension the Boko Haram insurgency took.
Already, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.- Gen. Tukur Buratai, has hinted of a possible link between the violent herdsmen with Boko Haram.
A highly placed military source, who spoke in confidence, said: “I’m aware that the military has stepped up intelligence and surveillance, in efforts to arrest this thing (herdsmen’s attacks) before there is an escalation.
“This thing must not be allowed to grow into the kind of monster that Boko Haram assumed in the past, before the now better-equipped and better-motivated military effectively checked them.
“There is no way the leadership of the military, as constituted today, will allow any armed group to take roots,” he said.
A police source, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, simply said: “Intelligence gathering is at its peak, to check the armed group among the herdsmen; not all are bad.”
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig.-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, as well as the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mrs. Olabisi Kolawole, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), confirmed that there was increased intelligence.
In a telephone chat yesterday, the DDI said apart from the stepping up of intelligence, a committee earlier set up by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin, has submitted its report.
“A committee set up by the Defence Headquarters to bring this kind of thing to a halt, has submitted its report and I believe very soon, things will go right.
“It requires intelligence; we are working with other stakeholders,” Abubakar said.
Also speaking in a telephone interview, the FPRO noted: “The police is not relenting.
“Anyone that is found carrying arms illegally will go in for it. The IGP has deployed men and resources to ensure the protection of citizens.
“The IGP Intelligence Response Team is all over to gather information and intelligence,” she said.
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