Our Reporter
A legal practitioner has petitioned the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, seeking an investigation into the alleged assault of an estate manager by three men, including two uniformed armed men reportedly linked to the Nigerian Army, in Nasarawa State.
The lawyer, Mr B.C. Yerima of K.J. Ntafa & Co., made the request in a petition dated Sept. 28 and addressed to the Army chief through the Department of Civil-Military Affairs at Army Headquarters, Abuja.
According to the petition, the incident occurred on Sept. 26 at a construction site belonging to Unique Solar Garden Estate in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
Yerima alleged that the estate manager, Mohammed Ibrahim, was supervising construction work when three men arrived at the site, two dressed in military uniforms and carrying arms, while the third, identified only as “Alhaji”, was in civilian clothes.
The petition alleged that the men began demolishing parts of the building under construction, prompting a security operative to alert Ibrahim, who subsequently arrived at the scene.
It said Ibrahim attempted to engage the men but was allegedly ignored, leading him to record the incident with his mobile phone.
Yerima further alleged that the men attacked Ibrahim, beating him with their rifles and concrete blocks, while workers and security personnel who attempted to intervene were also assaulted and threatened.
The petition alleged that one of the armed men pointed a cocked rifle at Ibrahim’s head and threatened to kill him during the confrontation.
It said a worker who escaped contacted the police, leading to the deployment of personnel from Vintage Police Division to the scene.
According to the lawyer, the police eventually rescued Ibrahim despite alleged resistance and threats from the armed men and arranged for him to receive medical attention.
The petition stated that Ibrahim was taken to Kunkyam Hospital in Karu, where he was referred for an X-ray and general medical examination.
Yerima further alleged that the men had been deployed to the residence of retired Maj.-Gen. John Nwaogu in the Shebwokpma community, near the College of Education in Karu.
He said his client maintained that construction had continued on the property for months without obstruction and that he was unaware of any pending court case or formal ownership dispute concerning the land.
The lawyer urged the Army authorities to investigate the incident, identify those involved and take appropriate action if the allegations were established.
He cautioned against the alleged use of military uniforms and weapons to intimidate civilians, stressing that land disputes should be resolved through lawful procedures rather than self-help.
The allegations in the petition have not been independently verified. The account represents the complainant’s position as presented by his lawyer.