By Godwin Tyonongu
Chairman, United Hunters Society (UHS) Abuja, Alhaji Adamu Taminu, has advised his counterparts in the troubled North-east states to respect the directive from the Defense Headquarters warning them to stay clear from the battle fields.
Taminu, who gave the caution at the weekend in a reaction to the warning, however, told newsmen that the intervention of the hunters into the fight against insurgency was borne out of their burning desire and patriotic zeal to rise in defense of their father land at a trying period like this, noting that since those saddled with the responsibility of ensuring national security have issued a warning restricting them, it was safer for them to withdraw in their best interest.
“If the DHQ said the hunters should not near the battle zones, they should go back because they cannot take laws into their hands. The hunters were not happy as their countrymen were being killed while they just sat and watch because naturally, they are groomed to be brave fighters but that is not to say they are stronger than the soldiers.
“The soldiers have the full military might and are well trained for the job. But why the hunters seem to have an upper hand in this circumstance is that, they know the terrain where insurgency is raging more than the soldiers and they have In their best of ability, made their mark as far as the insurgency fight is concerned even loosing scores of their population.”
Formed over a decade ago, the United Hunters Society (UHS), comprising hunters from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and those in the neighboring Nasarawa State, have merged as a formidable front to assist their communities in the fight against crime.
These sets of expert marksmen can drop dead their tracks with flawless shots from bow or rifle that have renewed this offensive against robbery and other criminal activities within the FCT and Nasarawa state.
The chairman of the society told newsmen that they have evolved from their traditional way of hunting animals in the bush alone and they are now lending a hand to the communities in the area of night security (vigilante) and general community policing.
Tanimu said since the Stone Age, the hunters used to shape any community that wanted to be organised and given that background, he felt that what the “society is doing at the moment is, to hunt for the bad eggs, expose them by reporting to the police for appropriate action.”
According to him, the hunters in this circumstance has the full backing of the police in carrying out the watch dog role.
He said: “Wherever we go to operate, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) there must approve our presence as indications of acceptance. We operate both in the daytime and at night.
“We normally use the local weapons, not depending on the police supply us anything. But even at that, we have never one day surrendered to any gun battle-no matter how tough it is, we face it to the end.
“When it appears that the evil men would surpass us, we seek for God’s support. More ever, as hunters, we can always have our logic and secret ways of overcoming challenges. And because we are assisting the community, God would always be on our side.”
Adamu, who is a member of the society while taking stock of its gains, said two communities have derived tremendous crime intervention from the body and have demonstrated 100 percent appreciation.
According to him, the residents of the communities keep requesting for workers from the society who can serve as guards over their domains at night.
“Those who could not sleep in the night before with their eyes closed have nothing to worry once our men are there. The youths most of them have got employment by joining us, so our hunting to the community far outweighs the one in the bush now. Whichever way government can support this course, let them do it.”
