Some of the community leaders, while speaking to our reporter at the weekend, said this followed the killing of a naval officer and his brother about two months ago in the outskirts of the town, suspected to have been carried out by a mob that trailed them from Bwari Area Council in the FCT on the day of gubernatorial and state assembly elections (April 11, 2015).
About five members of the community were arrested and taken to the Niger State Police Command for investigation.
The community said a member of the vigilante group from the area, one Ja’afar Ibrahim, had later went to the police command after he learnt that they were looking for him, but that he was released later, while the other five persons earlier arrested, were still with the command.
The community said their worry centred on soldiers, who had informed them recently about a panel set up to investigate the matter.
Sources said invitations were sent to members of the community by the military to face the panel.
According to the elders, one of the residents of Aso, Ja’afar Ibrahim, a vigilante member, who was invited by the Niger State Police Command for interrogation and was later released, was invited again last week by the military panel and has remained in their custody.
A member of his family, Sa’idu Gani, while speaking to our reporter on the issue, expressed his reservation about the military panel, which, he noted was sitting in addition to the one handled by the police.
Also speaking, Chairman of Tafa Local Government Council, Malam Ya’u Ahmad, said the area which was deserted by residents following the incident and subsequent raid by solders, is still in a state of fear.
Several efforts made to speak with the military authorities in the state were not successful.
