By Amos Aar
THE FORUM of Tyoshin Academics (FoTA) has condemned the alleged brutal assault on a young food vendor, Miss Dooshima Grace Kwaghngule, by a Nigerian soldier in Kula Village, Gwer West LGA of Benue State.
In a statement signed by FoTA’s National President, Prof. Patrick Ukase, and National Publicity Secretary, Prof. John Ajai, the group identified the accused soldier as Private Emmanuel Christopher.
Reports indicate that the soldier allegedly attacked Miss Kwaghngule with a stick after refusing to pay for a ₦2,400 meal over several weeks.
Eyewitnesses claim the soldier accused her of being “rude” and asserted that she needed to be “taught a lesson.”
FoTA described the incident as part of a broader pattern of military misconduct in Gwer West, where soldiers have reportedly failed in their duty to protect civilians and, in some cases, have acted as aggressors.
The group cited unresolved cases of abuse, including the 2018 burning of over 200 homes in Naka, the killing of five civilians in October 2024, and the 2023 murder of a Divisional Police Officer near a military base.
Additionally, FoTA raised concerns over recent kidnappings along the Makurdi–Naka and Naka–Adoka roads, where at least 15 people were abducted in April alone.
The forum also accused soldiers of extorting civilians at checkpoints, coercing bereaved families for access to corpses, and intimidating victims.
While acknowledging that the Nigerian Army has detained Private Emmanuel Christopher and launched an investigation, FoTA called for a transparent and independent inquiry monitored by civil society groups in Benue State.
The group issued an eight-point demand, including the immediate prosecution of the accused soldier under military and civil laws; full compensation and medical support for the victim; a comprehensive review of military conduct in Gwer West, and deployment of a new military unit trained in civil-military relations and endorsed by the community.
“The people of Gwer West have suffered enough,” FoTA stated, adding: “Justice must be done and seen to be done. The government and the Nigerian Army must act not only to protect their image but to restore trust, peace, and dignity to the region.”
FoTA also urged swift government intervention to facilitate the safe return of internally displaced persons to their ancestral homes.
