In February 2011, the Operations Officer of Special Task Force (STF) Operation Safe Haven, Sector 4, Jos, Plateau State who was a First Lieutenant, with a Lance Corporal and I were together at a joint within Zaramaganda in Jos Plateau State. We were all in mufty. The Operations Officer, when he dressed in mufty he looked younger than his age. By the time he was posted to STF Jos, he was just 26 years. Even his appearance showed how young he was.
While we were relaxing at a joint in Zaramaganda enjoying our drinks and eating our pepperish Nkowobi and exchanging banters, some godforsaken rascals who called themselves political thugs of some amorphous and leaderless politicians in Jos came and cut our enjoyment short. They came to the joint and started harassing some people who were also relaxing at the joint. The thugs were four (4). One of them slapped someone there and poured his drink on his body. When the Lieutenant was trying to find out what the problem was, the thugs insulted him and also gave him a slap. We wanted to react but he told us to calm down.
He went to a less noisy place and called some soldiers from Sector 4 Headquarters who arrived the scene (By February 2011, STF Jos was made up of only Army and Navy. Air Force, Mobile Police (Mopol) and Civil Defense joined STF in subsequent years). The thugs were seriously beaten up and weapons found on them. They were handed over to Sector 4 Commander for further action to be taken. The thugs pleaded that they never knew the Operations Officer was a military officer because he dressed in mufty. They mentioned the names of the politicians they claimed they worked for. But when the Sector 4 Commander contacted them, the politicians deny knowing them.
If you are a political or any kind of thug you just have to be very careful because there are some people that can make your life miserable forever if you hit them and when the chips are down, your boss will deny you and you will carry the cross alone.
I want to advise everyone to respect those they meet along the way because there are some people that are very simple and humble but extremely powerful and dangerous when you step on their toes.
By Terfa Naswem