The Chief Priest of the Ombatse cult
group in Lakyo, Nasarawa South Local
Government Area of Nasarawa State, Ala
Agu, on Wednesday said that security men
that invaded the community were ordered
by the state governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-
Makura, to kill him.
The 76-year-old Agu, popularly called
Baba Lakyo, spoke with journalists on
Wednesday at Lakyo during a visit of
Senator Solomon Ewuga (Nasarawa North
Senatorial District) to the community.
The chief priest, who spoke through an
interpreter, said the security operatives
did not come to arrest him, but to kill
him "and cut off my head and take it to
the governor."
"It is the governor that asked the people
(police officers) to come here and arrest
me, cut my head and take my head to him.
"When they came, because they were
themselves drunk, my god did not allow
them to come to me and they died on the
way.
"The question I asked is, 'has the
governor ever invited me and I refused to
go?' If am invited, I will go. But he
sent people to come and kill me and to
destroy Lakyo as a whole. That is just
what it is."
Al-Makura had rushed to the Presidential
Villa, Abuja on May 8, 2013 to brief
Vice-President Nnamadi Sambo on the
security situation in the state, saying
that 20 policemen were killed in Lakyo by
cultists.
The governor had said that members of
Ombatse laid ambush and killed security
agents sent to arrest the members in
their shrine.
On Wednesday, Baba Lakyo said that he had
never been invited by security agencies,
contrary to reports that the police
invaded the village after he shunned
their invitation.
The chief priest said that he was willing
to honour any invitation either by the
governor or the police.
Although Lakyo is peaceful, besides the
sight of burnt vehicles used by the
security men, Agu said he was unhappy
with what happened and was apprehensive
of what might befall him afterwards.
Ewuga toured Lakyo community, and led
reporters to the home of Agu, which
represents the "shrine" of the Ombatse.
Agu however denied ever forcing people to
join the group through any initiation or
drinking of concoction.
"I am grateful for your coming, Senator.
I am very, very grateful for your coming.
Even if the Senator did not come here, I
had intended to go and see him in his
house but since he is here, I am very
grateful," he told the senator.
Agu also said that he was in a nearby
village when the incident took place only
for him to come back to be informed that
the governor sent people to come and kill
him.
Asked whether the incident had anything
to do with the politics of the state, he
said, "If you are talking about politics,
it does not bother me. I don't even
understand Hausa language. Politics is
not for me because I am not a politician.
Politics is for politicians but I hear
that the time for politicking has not
even come.
"If I ever opened my mouth to force
anybody to take oath, God should punish
me".
He said that Ombatse was an association
of Lakyo boys into which nobody was
forced to belong.
He said he was ready to honour any police
invitation but insisted that nobody had
invited him.
According to him, it is even more
saddening that he is being linked to the
incident, especially when he knew nothing
about what happened to the policemen.
But Al-Makura on Wednesday dismissed
Agu's claim that he was never invited for
any meeting.
The governor, who spoke through his Chief
Press Secretary, Mr. Iliya Aliu, in a
telephone interview, said it was on
record that the head of the cult group
did not honour several invitations
extended to him.
He said, "It is not true that he was
never invited. The Emir of Lafia who is
the Chairman of the Nasarawa State
Council of Chiefs invited him, he refused
to honour it.
"Are Eggon, who is the chief of his area
invited him, he refused; the Police, the
SSS all invited him before this incident
but he refused to honour any of them.
"His followers attacked and killed people
in Asakiyo Alago; they went to Arga
Migili, Kwadere and did the same.
"No responsible government will sit by
and watch such things happen without
taking action.
"It was after he refused to answer all of
these invitations that the state security
council met and decided that he should be
arrested.
"Even their name, Ombatse, means it is
our turn. Their turn for what?
"In any case, no matter the grievance, no
individual or group has the right to kill
innocent security officials.
"He and all those responsible must face
the consequence of their action."
The President of the Egon Cultural
Development Association, Mr. Chris
Mamman, said the only way to get to the
root of what happened at Alakyo was for
the Federal Government to set up a
judicial commission of inquiry.
Ewuga said he decided to tour the
affected area as a matter of national
responsibility, saying he needed to see
things for himself since he is also an
Eggon man even though it was not within
his senatorial district.
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