Nigeria Police speaks on DSS report on herdsmen killings in Nigeria
The Nigeria police has faulted intelligence report by the Department of State Services DSS, claiming that the Islamic State In West Africa was responsible for attacks in Benue.
The force in reaction stated that it was too early to conclude on members of the terrorist network, Islamic State in West Africa, as perpetrators of attacks and killings in Benue and other North-Central states.The Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Joshak Habila disclosed this on Monday in an interview.
Habila said that the police would not attribute the killings to anyone or group until investigations were over.He said, “Investigation would show (ISWA involvement in the killings), it is too early to draw a conclusion, but whatever it is, the truth is everybody who is committing crime would be arrested and so, we don’t want to harp on anybody, group or organisation to make it difficult to process, but a criminal is a criminal.
“The police is collaborating with the DSS and other security services to end the carnage in North-Central states.”
Speaking on whether DSS intelligence report on ISWA was shared with the police, Habila said he was not certain as the secret service might have shared it with his boss, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
“They (DSS) normally share; it’s a deep collaboration, they may have done so, but not at my level, I’m on the ground (in Benue). The report would be properly analysed and sent to me.
“The police is engaging in confidence-building in Benue State and getting the necessary cooperation from the communities and the state government.
“Many people have been arrested, a very impressive number have been caught in the act, for disturbance of public peace and also destroying people’s properties and they are being prosecuted in court,” he added.
