YOLA/By Tom Garba – A former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), has urged citizens in Taraba to defend themselves against killers across the state, rather than depending on the Nigerian military who he described as ‘bias’.
The menace of killer herdsmen has continued to spread across Taraba, Benue, Zamfara, Edo and lately Kogi states.
Danjuma gave the warning on Saturday at the maiden convocation and 10th anniversary of the Taraba State University, Jalingo.
The elder statesman alleged that the arm forces of Nigeria at the moment were providing cover for ruthless killers.
“You must rise to protect your selves from these people. If you depend on the arm forces for protection, you will all die one by one.
“The ethnic cleansing must stop now, otherwise, Somalia will be a child’s play.
“I ask everyone of you to be on alert and defend your country; defend your territory, defend your state because you have nowhere else to go.
“The arm forces are not neutral, they are conniving with the armed bandits that are killing people,” he said.
Danjuma described Taraba as a miniature Nigeria with beautiful cultures, saying the bandits were doing everything to destroy this.
In his comments, Gov Darius Ishaku of Taraba expressed delight over the growth of the university within the last 10 years.
Ishaku commended the founding fathers of the institution for their foresight in bringing university education to the door steps of Taraba people.
He pledged to continue to support the university to attain a world class status.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Prof., Vicent Tenebe, commended the state government for its continued support for the rapid growth of the university.
Tenebe congratulated the 5, 900 graduands across the first five sets of the university, urging them to be good ambassadors of the institution.
Our correspondent reports that Honorary Doctorate degrees were presented to Danjuma, Sen Jeremiah Useni and Gov Ishaku.
Others were Dr Tony Elumelu, the chairman of Tony Elumelu Foundation and the former Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) Prof Suileman Bogoro.
Our correspondent also reports that Danjuma had earlier in the day inaugurated the 6.75 km Magami link road constructed by Gov Darius Ishaku.
