Nigeria

Taraba killings: Buhari gets DHQ panel report

Monday, September 23, 2019 at 4:43 PM by Aanu Adegun

- The report into the killing of police detectives and civilians by soldiers in Taraba has been submitted to the presidency

- After receiving the report from the Rear Admiral Ibikunle Olaiya-led panel, the Chief of Defence Staff reviewed it and made additional recommendations

- Meanwhile, Olonisakin is said to be awaiting further directives from the presidency

The report into the killing of police detectives and civilians by soldiers of 93 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Takum, Taraba state has been submitted by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Abayomi Olonisakin to President Muhammadu Buhari, This Day reports.

Recall that the Defence Headquarters constituted a seven-man joint investigation panel to unravel the circumstances that led to the killing.

According to the news outlet, the CDS after receiving the report from the Rear Admiral Ibikunle Olaiya-led panel, reviewed it and made additional recommendations before transmitting the report to the president.

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The report added that Olonisakin is now awaiting further directives.

He said: “The report has been submitted to the president. The rumour that there is an attempt to cover up the panel report is baseless.

“The CDS has submitted the report to the president, who gave the directive for the setting up of the panel in the first place.

“As it is now, we await further directives from the president on the next step to take. We have done our bit and the report is now before the commander-in-chief.”

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, promised that soldiers who are found to have played roles in the killing of the policemen would be punished.

According to Buratai, investigations are already concluded just as he lamented that the saddening development remains a threat to inter-agency collaboration.