A civil rights group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the alleged lynching of some purported Hausa Fulani bus passengers travelling to Taraba who were said to have been intercepted by some hoodlums in Gboko, Bunue State.

HURIWA said the Federal Government should take decisive steps to check the growing mutual mistrust amongst the diverse ethnic nationalities by effectively rejiging the membership of the national security team to reflect the federal character principle in the Constitution and give a sense of belonging to all Nigerians rather than the divisive and discriminatory policy of exclusively keeping the lopsided domination of the Hausa/Fulani in the national security team.

HURIWA said the Defence Minister, Major Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd.), should be dismissed “for tacitly providing support for the actions of some renegade Fulani herdsmen when he shamelessly blamed the blockade of grazing routes and the anti open grazing Act for the incessant attacks of farming communities by armed Fulani herdsmen”.

“It is unfortunate that the presidency has failed to arrest, prosecute and sanction severely the perpetrators of the incessant violent attacks of farming communities by armed Fulani herdsmen.

“The Nigerian President must desist from creating the impression that he is in office to favour members of his ethno-religious community.”

The group, however, condemned the purported attack of the Hausa Fulani passengers in Gboko and has called on the security forces to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and prosecuted for this dastardly criminal act of primitive and gruesome hacking to death of innocent Nigerians only because they are of a particular ethnic nationality. President Muhammadu Buhari must carry out his primary constitutional duty of providing security of lives and property of Nigerians effectively or be impeached by the National Assembly.

HURIWA recalled that the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, confirmed that seven persons were killed by irate youths in Gboko.

HURIWA recalled that the CP, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in his office, said the victims were said to be travelling either to Okene in Kogi State or Taraba State when criminals attacked, killed and burnt them to ashes.

HURIWA quoted the Benue Police boss as stating: “We got information around 11am this morning that some hoodlums believed to be of Tiv stock between 9.30am and 10am stormed a garage in Gboko where they attacked seven people believed to be of Fulani extraction, killed and burnt them.”

HURIWA further quoted the police commissioner as asserting that “the passengers were said to be in the park where they were trying to board a commercial vehicle to Okene or Taraba. The police in the area of the attack got information and rushed to the place but the criminals embarked on hurling stones at the police.”

HURIWA also applauded the Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom, for promptly adopting steps to guide against any escalation of inter-tribal skirmishes by declaring a curfew.

The group quoted a media statement issued by the Media Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Tahav Argezua, in which the government declared a curfew that would last from 6pm to 6am from January 31st till further notice.

The group condemned the slow policing mechanisms and failure of intelligence for the incessant attacks of farming communities and for the sad mob attack of innocent passengers.