Killing of Boko Haram members legitimate, Army Col tells court

Posted by admin Armed Forces, Boko Haram, Latest Politics Friday, December 9th, 2011

A prosecution witness in the on-going trial of the six police officers suspected to have killed the leader of the Boko Haram Islamic sect, Mohammed Yusuf, Colonel Benjamin Ahamotu yesterday told the Federal High Court that killing of members of the sect was a legitimate duty.

Ahamotu who led the army troop that arrested Yusuf described the act of terrorism unleashed on the state by members of the Boko Haram sect as war against the state and it is not out of place to shoot at them if possible to kill them. The PW3 told Justice Donatus Okorowa in his evidence in chief that; “It is legitimate to use reasonable force on the members of the sect by shooting if possible to kill.”

“During the uprising in Borno State, various kinds of weapons were used by members of the sect and in the cause of trying to stop the uprising, we fought back using weapons at our disposal and there were casualties from both sides.” Col. Ahamotu, however, admitted that the army did not invite Boko Haram members for settlement during the crisis, instead, they fought back to save the state.

According to him, “some police stations were attacked by the sect members to free their members in detention, and after the arrest of Yusuf, it took some days for normalcy to return to Borno. I cannot state the circumstances under which Yusuf died or sect members who died.” Also testifying before the court, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Kabiru Dandibi, in charge of Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Borno State Police Command, narrated how on July 30, 2009, “a convoy of patrol vehicles entered the police headquarters in Maiduguri with Mohammed Yusuf in handcuffs and other members of his sect numbering over 90, adding that some were dead while others with various degrees of injuries.”

“I was in my office with ACP Audu Mohammed, who was in charge of administration. We sighted through my window, convoy of patrol vehicles. I saw Mohammed Yusuf in handcuffs. They drove and parked near the CP’s parking space but they did not stay long and they drove out and headed to the mobile barracks.”
Dandibi added that some of the corpses were offloaded in the police headquarters where he ordered his men to take them to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

Attempts by the prosecuting counsel, R.N. Ojobo who led ASP Dandibi in chief to tender mortuary register could not sail through as defence counsel vehemently opposed it. Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned to February 13, 2012 for ruling on the application and continuation of the case.

-Sunwp_posts