The Special Task Force (STF), code named “Operation Save Heaven”, was established in 2010 with the mandate to maintaining law and order, ensuring peace and security in Plateau and part of Bauchi states. To date, STF has seven commanders, one of which is the current commander, Major-General David D. Enetie, an infantry officer with vast experience in Peace Support Operations, PSO. MUHAMMAD TANKO SHITTU examines non-lethal approach deployed by STF under the leadership of the current commanders in maintaining peaceful coexistence in its Area of Responsibilities, AOR.
Since Major General David Enetie took over on 9th September 2013 (09/09/2013), he has continued to employ and deploy both lethal and non-lethal approach within Plateau and part of Bauchi states.
Having participated in Peace Keeping operations at very senior levels, Enetie was fully aware of the intricacies of commanding an operation in a complex environment, which is not an outright war situation.
Hence, he recognized the importance of hard approach and also the inevitability of soft approach, which will invariably help in winning the heart and minds of the various stakeholders within the AOR.
It is these enduring legacies of both lethal and non-lethal approach that has made STF a darling of people of Plateau and Bauchi states.
While focusing on using force to degrade and completely drive away criminal elements, who took advantage of the crisis in the state to commit crimes such as cattle rustling, armed robbery among other crimes, Enetie had his eyes on wining the heart and minds of the various stakeholders in the diverse communities through civil military relations activities.
In achieving this onerous, Major General Enetie has used different methods and has been able to reach out to various communities and various stakeholders in the states. Several methods are therefore, devised by the military, using non lethal approach to achieve the desired goal.
Enetie acknowledged that solving the challenges of insecurity and building enduring relationship between security agencies in general and officers and men of STF in particular goes beyond deployment of troops to various communities in Area of Responsibilities in Plateau and part of Bauchi state. This approach is in line with global trends of troops deploying civil-military strategy to win heart and minds of the people.
This effort has been deployed in various communities through organization of sporting events, meeting and consulting with various aggrieved communities, providing relief materials among others. It has also yielded positive result. Today, it has been observed by various stakeholders in the state that such effort by STF has restored peace, built confidence and trust as well as reintegrated various people within various communities in Plateau State.
Within this period, various communities received medical attention, food items, educational support and other basic needs. Sporting activities aimed at peace building and reintegration have also been organised for the youth.
Enetie visited many crises prone communities/ villages, which the visits has greatly availed him with the opportunity of having prior knowledge of the basic needs of such localities, besides its primary duty.
On the area of health care facilities, General Enetie’s lead STF, was prompt at dolling out dozens of assorted drugs to the management of ECWA hospital, just as its donated hospital equipments to the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Plateau State Chapter, as an assistance towards equipping their health care facilities.
Similarly; Maijuju community, in Jos East, has received medical items in continuation of the STF, social cooperate responsibility of strengthening civil military relations. In Barkin Ladi locality of the state the task force have also conducted free sanitation and de-worming medical exercise to the People, all in an attempt at give succour to the plight of the people and at the same time improve a secured environment.
Free medical outreaches were further conducted at Jingir and Mister Alli communities in Bassa Local Government area of the state, though the localities are seen as role model in terms of peaceful living among localities within the state, yet the STF, under Enetie’s command deemed it wise and carried out the outreaches, all in an efforts at strengthening trust, confidence, integration and peace in the communities.
One important effort of the STF, under Enetie, worthy of mention was the upgrading of the health care facility situated within its headquarters, which was upgraded from a four bed, to that of eight bed, equipped with state of the art facilities that includes; surgery open fixion and theater bed, oxygen, multipurpose theater bed and adequate drugs among others.
Very important to highlight is the fact that not only STF, own personnel are the beneficiaries of the facility, but even the general public are beneficiaries of same.
According to the STF, Media/Information officer Captain Ikedechi Iweha, the health facility is used for emergency cases to even the general public, most especially when public hospitals were on strikes in the state.
He said it was on record that; “Some victims of bomb blasts were treated here, and also some students were treated for free.”
General Enetie’s concerned is not only bothered on the strict use of lethal military approach, to resolve crises situation, rather the use of diplomacy, to him the ‘absence of government presence in most communities,’ is a factor that help in brewing conflict among inhabitants, hence the need to embark on such civil military activities.
It is continuation of this laudable effort that the STF Commander, Major General Enetie constructed a borehole for Doron Village in Barkin Ladi Local Government of Plateau state.
The construction of the borehole was outcome of STF Commander’s visit to the community when crisis erupted. And having studied the challenges and one of the cause of friction between the Beroms and Fulani cattle herdsmen he decided to build a borehole to ensure that the attained relative peace was maintained.
Enetie, said while commissioning a borehole at Doron Community which was done on Thursday, 30/ 04/2015, that the STF, have since inception been doing all that is possible to; “ensure that peace continue to thrive.”
To the people the STF effort was good omen and they said: “Thank you for bringing water, you are welcome, thank you for making us live in peace.”
However, the STF, Commander, sees it as reciprocal gesture to the community.
“As part of our peace building effort, we have visited the community in 2013, and since then it has been most peaceful, community.”
According to Enetie, the STF, as part of its Civil-Military Relations, the water project is in furtherance of its appreciation to the community’s effort towards promoting peace and harmonious coexistence amongst various ethnic groups, residents within.
The STF, efforts was accepted with full appreciation by the people who had also graced the occasion, amongst whom was the Executive Chairman of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Hon. Emmanuel Loman, in whose Area of leadership the project was sited, stressed that besides ensuring the security to lives and properties, “We appreciate the STF for ensuring that peace is cardinal.”
According to him the People in the area have been sleeping with their; “two eyes closed.”
Loman further said, the STF, under Enetie, have been doing a lot of things apart from their primary job of ensuring security of the People.
“That the STF, have giving water is just like they have also giving a life, besides giving security you have also been giving social amenities ,” and “ That the gesture will be kept in memory for life,” he added.
The village head Mr. Ishaya Gwom Pam, who could also not hide his feelings said the community have prior to this time, “never dreamt of having a borehole in our lives,” and that; “the STF, have solved one of the major problems disturbing us in the village, because a lot of people come from even other communities to fetch the water.”
The representative of the Fulani herders, who is the deputy Hardo, Sale Tukur Bayero, said the STF, gesture was indeed a good thing to them, which has also boost their harmonious relationship and peace.
The STF, did not only stopped at rendering educational support to some students, but it went further to organize and sponsored football competitions, aimed at bringing warring youth into a social platform to fashion out means of peace and reintegration.
These efforts across the nook and crannies of STF’s Area of Responsibilities, AOR, which were in line with international best practices, has not only earn the task force commendations, but further ensured peaceful coexistence and peaceful resolution of conflict in various communities in the states.
Various stakeholders who spoke with Blueprint commended the effort of the current STF Commander noting that under his tenure many communities have shielded their sword. “We are very happy with approach of STF Commander. He is very friendly to us. And he is always making efforts to settle disputes and finding ways to bring us together. Social amenities have also been provided for some communities. We cannot forget him.”
