By Tolúlopé Olátúnjí
Some civilian workers of the Ministry of Defence Headquarters in Abuja have staged a protest on Tuesday, decrying allegations of brutality being experienced by their colleagues in the hands of military officers stationed at the ministry.
Led by one Mr Elijah Ajunda, a key member of one of the workers’ unions in the ministry, the protest began around 8 a.m. with around 50 protesters, blocking the main entrance from everyone.
According to reports, the only exception was the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, who subsequently requested to address the protesting workers.
Ajunda alleged that civilian staff across the country’s military formations have faced threats, brutality, and even death in the hands of solders and naval officers, with little or no justice served.
“For some time now, the military have been brutalizing our civilians, intimidating them, both at the headquarters here and various military formations. It has been reported severally, they would tell us they were investigating, they would tell us they had set up committees, they are doing this and that, but at the end of the day nothing comes out, no report,”he explained.
He added:”The families of the deceased are still awaiting the report of the committee that they said they have set,”
Ajunda recounted an alleged death of a staff member named Richard in the hands of Navy officers in Lagos in April, with no appropriate action taken to punish the purported culprits. He also mentioned the case of an assistant director in the ministry who was alleged to have faced severe ill-treatment on Monday from military personnel.
“Not quite long ago, about two months ago, a civilian staff was killed in Lagos by a Navy officer. About four Navy officers gathered him, brutalized, and killed him. The body of the person we are talking about right now is still in the mortuary,” he narrated:
Ajunda claimed that the purported military officers locked the gate and deployed dogs to intimidate the protesters when they arrived in the morning.
He said:“When we arrived here today again, the military locked up the gate and deployed their dogs to intimidate us. That is what we are facing in the Ministry of Defence and we are now saying enough is enough. We say we cannot take it again, enough of military brutality.”
Around five hours later, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Abubakar Kana, addressed the protesters, pleading with them to return to work.
“The minister is currently having a meeting at the villa. He has expressed his total dissatisfaction with the situation. The minister condemned the act. He sent me to address you and even showed me the video,” Kana said.
He added:” The Navy officers who killed Richard are still in detention and the ones who assaulted the man yesterday have been arrested. We plead that you all go back to your work and we promise that this behavior will end.”
Following the permanent secretary’s intervention , the protesters agreed to return to work and subsequently dispersed.
