By Aideloje Ojo
Minna
The senator representing Niger East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, David Umaru, has described as “false and spurious” the allegations associating him with gunrunners in his constituency.
He insisted that such claims were aimed at diverting attention from salient issues in the unfortunate military invasion of his constituency few days ago.
Umaru stated this yesterday in a statement entitled: “Bosso military invasion: a cry for justice,” issued in Minna, explaining that it was a futile attempt to create animosity between him and the military authorities.
“I will like to state here that I have never been associated with violence, gunrunning activities or use of coercive force of any kind in my entire political career, not in Bosso and not in any part of Niger state or beyond. I have no reason to promote aid or associate myself with gunrunners or other criminal elements to boost my political fortunes,” he said.
He said a campaign of calumny had been launched against him since his initial comment on the incident, describing it as “a hatchet job” by spin merchants and political jobbers.
He said the Bosso military exercise was badly planned and shabbily executed hence the casualties suffered by the army and the local communities, adding that the military operation sidelined community leaders in Bosso, the Nigerian Police and other security agencies.
Umaru called on all the people to continue to keep the peace and be law abiding, while appealing to the national and state emergency management agencies to take immediate steps to provide relief materials to affected communities.
He also called on government at all levels to facilitate the return of displaced persons to their homes and demanded compensation from federal government for both military and civilian casualties and justice for those arrested by the Nigerian Army and those involved in this heinous crime.
