By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed concern over the attacks on drivers of trucks conveying goods from the North to the South-East by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The ACF warned that the killings of the drivers and the destruction of their vehicles constitute a serious threat to national security that could lead to the breakdown of law and order and generalised anarchy.

This comes as the Department of State Service (DSS) Tuesday, invited Daily Trust reporters in Plateau State over reportage of the protest over the killing of the drivers.

The media had reported that trucks’ drivers and owners on Sunday, protested in Jos, Plateau State capital, lamenting that many of their members had been killed and their vehicles burnt in the attacks.

The report stated that more than 20 truck drivers had been killed and many others missing in attacks on them in the South-East in the last one year.

In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the ACF said it had observed that drivers of heavy-duty haulage trucks/trailers conveying goods to and from, or merely traversing roads in the South-East had and were still being subjected to what it called vicious and unprovoked attacks, leading to the murder of drivers, burning of vehicles and looting of goods.

The ACF accused the security agencies and the federal government of doing nothing to tame the attacks.

“The attacks are being brazenly carried out by the euphemistic gunmen/gun-women who openly claim membership of terror groups such as the so-called Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN), with the attacks directed only on northerners and northern-owned property.

“The terror merchants have continued to double down on the savage attacks and even posting video clips of the results of their gruesome actions, with gleeful taunts, on social media. Often, the savagery extends to burning of the corpses of hapless victims. Only a few days ago indeed, members of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) demonstrated at Jos, the Plateau State Capital, to draw attention to the attacks and the over 50 drivers and about 100 trailers burnt over the last eight years,” it stated.

The ACF added: “Equally worrisome is the silence of national security agencies and the federal and state governments. ACF asserts that the attacks constitute a serious threat to national security with the potential to lead to the breakdown of law and order and generalised anarchy.

“Needless to assert, absolutely, no individual or groups should be allowed free rein to visit murder, looting, arson, vandalism and general brigandage on innocent citizens. ACF is gravely saddened by the development and fully supports the contemplation by NARTO and NURTW to boycott the haulage of goods to and from the South-East until the situation is brought under control.

“ACF further extends condolences to the families and friends of victims of the attacks, calls on the federal and relevant state authorities, as well as the security agencies to step-up to stop the unprovoked and extra-constitutional actions by the terror groups.

“At the very minimum, perpetrators of the dastardly acts must be fished out and brought to justice. The relevant authorities ought to declare a state of emergency on the matter”.

The group added: “The ACF further decries the silence or lip service by South-East elite, politically exposed persons and socio-cultural groups on the issue and calls on them to end the lip service and neglect but publicly condemn the barbarism being visited on northerners and northern-owned businesses in the region.”

It further called on the governments of Enugu and Imo states to pay full compensation for lives and injuries as well as the goods lost to the attacks.

DSS invites Daily Trust’s reporters over story

The Department of State Services (DSS), Jos office on Tuesday interrogated two reporters covering Plateau State, Ado Abubakar Musa and Dickson S. Adama, over the newspaper’s Monday lead story.

The reporters were invited through Ayuku Pwaspo, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau State Council, but no reason was initially given for the summon.

Upon arrival at the DSS office at 11am, an officer escorted them to the Deputy Director’s office, where they were informed that their invitation was related to the story titled “Protest in Jos over killing of truck drivers in S/East”.

According to the DSS officers, the report was disturbing and written in bad faith, particularly criticising the use of the word ‘protest’ in the headline and the accompanying images.

The reporters defended the article, explaining that other media outlets also reported the incident, which was based on the grievances of truck drivers.

They also explained the term ‘protest’ has various meanings in media parlance, and its usage was editorially justified.

The DSS officers revealed that the report had drawn reactions from Abuja, the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), and other parts of the country, prompting them to manage the situation carefully.

During the question-and-answer session, the officers initially stated that one of the newspaper’s reporters would be detained and taken to Abuja the next day while the other should report back to the the media headquarters in Abuja.

However, the reporters were later taken to the director’s office, where he reiterated dissatisfaction with the report, advising journalists to consider that some media terms may be misinterpreted by the public.

The director confirmed that one of the reporters, Ado, would be taken to Abuja for further explanations, but first, had to write a statement regarding the report.

After completing their statements and providing their names and phone numbers, the reporters were released around 3pm.

The DSS director said the reporters would be invited again for questioning if necessary.