…..No we did not shoot at them-Army
Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has accused the military of applying excessive force in response to the protest at the Dangote Sugar Factory, in Gyawana, Adamawa State.
The governor visited the area when he returned from Abuja Friday afternoon, blaming the military for over reacting.
He said, “We are here to sympathize with the youths that had issues with the military who were having some industrial issues with Dangote Sugar Company.
“And I was reliably informed that six of them were shot and they are critically injured and they are in the hospital. So, I felt that it is my responsibility to come straight and see them, assess the situation and take appropriate action.
“There’s bound to be disagreements but i think nobody should take it too far. The military went too far. The youths also did not exercise restrain to explore the constitutional way of solving the problem.”
But authorities of the Nigerian Army on Saturday denied they killed anybody at the scene.
A statement by the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Major Haruna Mohammed Sani, of the 23 Brigades Yola, claimed that its troops did not fire a shot directly at the protesters, but only fired warning shots.
The statement claimed that some of the soldiers sustained minor injuries from the stones thrown by the mob.
The statement reads, “The attention of Headquarters 23 Brigade Nigerian Army has been drawn to a mischievous Sahara Reporters story alleging soldiers opened fire on protesting staff of Dangote Sugar Company at Gyawana district under Lafiya Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
“To give the proper perspective on the libelous narrative, this headquarters wishes to inform the general public that on 15 July, 2021 at about 2: 00 pm, the Gyawana community staged a protest against the management of Dangote Sugar Company threatening to shut down the establishment and abduct foreign expatriates for sacking some staff of the company who are members of the host community.
“Efforts to calm the situation by the Nigerian Police and personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence corps proved abortive as the irate youths, wielding cutlasses, machetes, and other dangerous weapons, overpowered them.
“When a distress call was made to an internal security outfit in Adamawa State nicknamed Operation Farauta, comprising soldiers and other para-military agencies, they swiftly mobilized and moved to reinforce the police and Civil Defence deployment at the location.
“In the process, tear gas as well as warning shots were fired as some of the non-violent means of crowd dispersal and to further prevent own troops from being lynched by the mob.
“Consequently, the situation was brought under control. Unfortunately, some soldiers sustained minor injuries from the stones thrown by the mob but no single protester was killed.
“The Nigerian Army is a professional and disciplined institution that operates within the purview of the constitution and in line with rules of engagement and Code of Conduct which serves as guides to troops in all military engagements.”
A resident of Gyawana had said that soldiers, dispatched for the illegal operation, were hired by the management of the sugar company to chase the protesters away.
Reports said some people sustained serious injuries during the shooting but nobody was reported dead.
The Police were yet to make a statement as at the time of going to the press.
Patmos mediaonline
