The arrest of Aliyu Teshaku, a Boko Haram suspect, a fortnight ago by the Nigerian Army may have set the Benue State Government and the Army at edge over the interpretation given to the arrest.
While on one hand the Army said Teshaku is connected to the recent killings in the state, there are indications that allegations leading to his arrest may be that the self-confessed Boko Haram suspect is being used by the Benue government to raise a militia to defend the state from the incessant attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Until his arrest, Aliyu Teshaku, who the Army described as Aminu Yaminu, was the head of the Benue State Livestock Guards.
The state government has denied this, and only recently, the state governor Samuel Ortom who has distanced himself from anything connected to the arrest has insisted that anyone found wanting should face the wrath of the law.
He has however reiterated that the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore were responsible for the killings in the state.
The Army said it carried out the operation that led to the arrest of the suspect, jointly with the Police and the Department of State Security (DSS).
But a top ranking police officer in the state, it was gathered, said that the police was not involved in the operation that led to the arrest of Teshaku.
On the other hand it was reliably gathered from military sources in the state that the suspect was immediately moved to Abuja from the point of arrest.
The source further explained that “You know the man (Teshaku) is a high profile suspect, so immediately, he was arrested, he was moved to Abuja from the point of arrest.
“He is not a herder; it’s a very serious case; it’s a Boko Haram case. And Boko Haram cases are not handled here.”
But, when sought to confirm why the Army did not parade Teshaku among other suspects in the state like other suspects connected to the killings in the state, the Spokesman, 707 Special Forces Brigade, Makurdi, Major Olabisi Ayeni argued that the most important thing is that the case is under investigation.
According to him, “The major thing is that the case is under investigation and we don’t want to comment on that; anything (we can say) on that would be after the investigation so let’s wait for the outcome of the investigation.”
Ayeni further explained that “But we made it (arrest) known and I sent the pictures (of Teshaku in handcuffs with arms before him). There is no need of parading the suspect now.
“The picture we sent, is it that of the suspect? he asked rhetorically, adding “Then there is no need of parading him.”
But throughout the unfolding event, the police have refused to comment on the report.
However, the State Governor, Samuel Ortom said as a law abiding Governor and someone who believes in the rule of law, security agencies have the right to investigate any person of any wrong doing.
He said, “Security agencies are at liberty to arrest, detain and investigate anyone, who they may suspect to be involved in security breach or perpetuating insecurity and the arrest of Teshaku is one of such.
“I (earlier) made a statement through my assistant after his arrest that due process should be followed; he should not be victimized but security men should be fair to him. He should be investigated and if at the end he is found culpable, he should be prosecuted.
“So I don’t want to talk about the arrest other than to say: let the needful be done; let there be no victimization. If at the end an investigation is carried out and he is culpable, let that be.”
The Governor, who has consistently stated that Miyetti Allah was behind the killings, was however, worried that despite proofs against Miyetti Allah that they were responsible for the killings in the state, none of them had been arrested.
Ortom said “I’ve said it repeatedly; I’ve written and will continue to write and continue to raise alarm that the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore are responsible for the killings; for the mercenary work that is going on in Benue State.
“I still want to repeat that they are responsible. There are evidences; they are on tape, they have done press conferences and none of them have come out to refute what was credited to them in the media. They’ve said it is about Jihad; it’s not about grazing. They said it is about occupation; about taking over the land. (Independent)
