Dimapur, August 16 (MExN): Yangzitong villages today expressed shock at the justification of the FGN in murdering a former cadre, one Ameto Awomi recently. Yangzitong ‘A’ and ‘B’ village authorities today demanded that the NNC/FGN deliver justice by handing over the culprits to either the Police or customary courts at the earliest.
The justification given for the crime committed is ridiculous and unreasonable, the villagers stated. A joint statement from the two villages expressed deep shock at the justifications stated to have been made by the FGN as was published in the media on the 15th of August. “We are very shocked to read the news in which the FGN clarified on the execution of Late Ameto Awomi on account of his misbehavior towards his former colleagues. Further, safeguarding the senior official Mr. Phutoi, kilonser from the scene of crime, capt. Hokito, commander, 16th bn, 6th brigade of FGN Naga army justified that the capital punishment awarded to Ameto was carried out without the knowledge of civil set up of the FGN organization,” stated the villages’ statement.
The villages retorted by questioning how a ‘kilonser’ could have been unaware of the execution of a person who was apprehended, kept captive “in their camp” for a considerable period of time, tortured and then shot dead. “How come his car could be used in the whole episode of crime by his own subordinates and boys and he had no knowledge? How could he remain unaware when the family members, villagers and civil societies approached him several times pleading for safe release of Ameto telephonically…? The villagers’ statement queried. The statement listed the dates the pleadings were made telephonically. “On June 29, 2010 he himself appointed the meeting of family members, villagers and NGOs with the assembly house of Sumi region at Peace camp, Kohima,” the statement added.
In the meeting, the two villages stated, “capt.” Hokito, as introduced by the speaker “was himself present when family members, village elders and NGOs appealed to the house for safe release of Ameto” if he had been apprehended by the outfit. The villagers had even appealed to the extent of taking responsibility to settle the matter if Ameto had committed any “national” offense, the Yangzitong villages stated. If the deceased had committed any offense towards his ‘former cadres’ and was apprehended for the matter, the villages questioned, why had Hokito not made it known in the meeting itself. The statement took note that declaration of a “crime” was being made against “a dead person who cannot justify anymore.”
The villages went on to state that the said ‘kilonser’ Phutoi himself clarified in a meeting on June 23 at his “official quarter” at Peace Camp that Ameto was a “lieutenant” in the outfit but had defected to another group with a small arm. “Many of his predecessors had also defected with many arms that he had not taken any action against them while Ameto had taken away a small arm. He has pardoned him and that the govt. of NNC had no arrest order even for that matter,” the statement said.
“The justification given by capt. Hokito for the crime committed is ridiculous and unreasonable,” the villagers stated. The villages have demanded that the NNC/FGN ‘initiate an enquiry’ and deliver justice by handing over Phutoi, Hokito and others involved in the murder, to the police or customary courts at the earliest to let the law take its own course of action.
