Al-Makura Denies Granting Amnesty to Ombatse Militia

Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, central Nigeria, on Thursday denied reports that his administration was considering granting amnesty to the outlawed `Ombatse’ militia.

Al-Makura said this when he briefed newsmen in Abuja.

He said the statement credited to him, when he delivered a lecture on 29 October at the Institute for Security Studies, Bwari, FCT, was calculated at dragging his administration in the mud.

The governor said the report was an attempt to undermine the efforts by the state government toward finding a lasting solution to the activities of the group.

“I feel really worried about this misrepresentation because nothing can be further from my views and mindset that I and my administration are bent on bringing the criminals and perpetrators to book.

“The statement credited to me will amount to preempting the work of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry.

“The committee was set up by the state government to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the killings of security personnel at Alakyo who were on routine duty and also to unmask their sponsors,’’ he said.

The governor explained that he only implored security agents to intensify efforts at recovering arms that were illegally in the possession of the militia and other unauthorised persons.

Al-Makura regretted the inconveniences the report might have caused the public, especially the victims of the attack and the commission investigating the killings.

“This administration will continue to maintain peaceful coexistence among the diverse ethnic groups in the state.

“It will leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators and their sponsors to book,’’ he said.