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Tag: Taraba

  • 73 dead as communities clash in Taraba

    73 dead as communities clash in Taraba

    No fewer than 73 persons were confirmed dead and about 50 villages burnt following a renewed violence between the Hausa-Fulani and Yandang communities in Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State.

    The state Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Sahabi Mahmoud, told journalists on Friday in Jalingo that the hostilities, which started on July 5, has claimed the lives of more than 23 of his members.

    He said that over 3,000 displaced Hausa-Fulanis, mainly women and children, who fled the area, are currently taking refuge at the Muslim Council Secretariat in Jalingo and other neighbouring local government areas.

    Mahmoud lamented that it was “unfortunate” that since the displaced persons arrived the Muslim Council in Jalingo, no government official had visited the camp or provided any relief material to the victims.

    On his part, an elder of the Yandang community, Mr Aaron Artimas, said more than 50 persons from the side of the Yandang and other tribes in the area were confirmed dead as a result of the conflicts.

    Artimas noted that the Hausa-Fulanis, Yandang, Mumuye, and Yoti, among other tribes, had lived in the area as brothers and sisters without problems for centuries.

    He blamed the recent recurring conflicts on incitement from people outside the area who wanted to remain relevant politically.

    “Some militia from neighbouring Adamawa State have infiltrated Babagasa, a border village between Taraba and Adamawa, and have been wreaking havoc on all the surrounding villages in Lau Local Government of Taraba.

    “Villages such as Tikule, Bariki, Santuraki, Budong, Mbonding and Panti-Ladda, among others, were burnt by the militia.

    “Over 2,000 displaced persons from the affected villages are currently taking refuge at the Central Primary School, Jalingo.

    “Some are in other villages like Sunkani, Apawa, Zing and Bali all in Taraba, while several others fled to Gorobi, Sabon-Gida, Bujum and Mayo-Belwa in Adamawa State.

    Since the arrival of IDPs in their current locations, they have been living at the mercy of God and good spirited individuals who have been taking food to them.

    “As I speak with you now, since the conflicts erupted in Lau Local Government on July 5, there is no presence of security while the people continue to kill themselves,’’ he explained.

    However, the Taraba Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police David Misal, who confirmed the incident, said the number of casualties was still being compiled, while normalcy has been restored in the affected areas.

  • Tension in Taraba as suspected herdsmen kill 42, sack 12 villages

    At least, 42 people mostly women and children were reportedly killed across 12 villages in the Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State.

    A witness and resident of the area, Dauda Marafa said in a phone interview that armed militiamen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Sunday invaded communities in the local government, killing anybody in sight.

    “The attacks started on Sunday evening and as of the last count this morning (Wednesday), 42 people have been killed.

    “The villages so far affected include Bujum, Yilti, Bunzung, Sabon Gida, Kwajafa, Sobon Layi and Budon.

    “Other villages that have been sacked by the Fulani herdsmen militia are Bamga Dutse, Bawa Garki, Mayo Lope and Kpanti Ladi.

    “Over 2,000 displaced persons are currently taking refuge at the Negatavah primary and secondary schools in Jalingo metropolis and more are still trooping in since Sunday when the attacks started.”

    Marafa lamented the failure of security agencies to deploy their men in the area, saying the casualty figure might rise as attacks were still ongoing.

    The state Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Peter Julius, who also hails from the area, said 19 of those killed were from five neighbouring villages.

    He called on the Federal Government to urgently draft security men to the area to stop the attacks from spreading.

    But the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP David Missal, who confirmed the attacks and killings said only six people were killed.

    He explained that SAR and Mopol commanders had temporarily relocated to the areas under attack to restore peace to the affected villages.

    “Apart from the deployment of our patrol team in the area, the Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations have been going there and coming back on a daily basis for the past three days to monitor the situation,” Missal added.

    The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Darius Ishaku on Media and Publicity, Mr Bala Dan-Abu, who condemned the renewed attacks in the state, called on the Federal Government to arrest the situation.

    “We want the Federal Government to do something more concrete in ending the spate of killings in the state. The governor has no control over security personnel in the state, so we are looking up to the Federal Government to direct security agencies to arrest the situation,” he said.

    Dan-Abu added that the governor had directed the leadership of the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency and the officials of the state Ministry of Health to the area to assess the damages and provide succour to the affected villagers.

    “We are also searching for displaced people so that we can provide adequate protection, care, treatment and relief materials for them.

    “This is because when attacks like this happen, people always run to where their relations are but we are doing everything within our means to bring them together, foster peace, protection and general well-being of our people. We are also appealing to people to give peace a chance in Taraba State.”

    He added that the state government was also engaging stakeholders to put an end to the crisis in the state.

    “We are also engaging critical stakeholders from the area in a series of meetings with a view to restoring peace and normalcy,” he said.

  • Again, herdsmen invade Adamawa, Taraba communities, kill 50

    Again, herdsmen invade Adamawa, Taraba communities, kill 50

    Over 50 People were reported to have been killed in fresh attacks on Monday night in several border communities in Adamawa and Taraba states.

    The attacks were reportedly carried out by Fulani militiamen targeting farming communities around Gojefa, Bujum Yashi, Bujum Waya, Sabonlayi and Bujum Kasuwa villages in the Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

    Other communities affected by the onslaught include Anguwan Bishop Yotti, Todung, Budon, Bunzum and Bamga Dutse located in Taraba State.

    The sustained attacks in recent times, according to the Hama Batta, Alhamdu Teneke, the traditional ruler of Demsa chiefdom, have resulted in most communities in the area abandoning farming. He said this development might lead to famine soon.

    Confirming the recent attacks, the member representing Numan in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Sodomti Tayedi, said more than 50 people were feared killed in the wave of the recent attacks.

    She also pointed out that no week passed in her community without an attack carried out by suspected Fulani militia.

    Tayedi said, “Our people are farmers but my community is now living in fear since these attacks started in November last year and have persisted up till date.

    “We are hopeless and helpless; economic activities here have stopped. This is a farming season and if we cannot go to the farm, then poverty and starvation are what is left.

    “We are calling on the government, as a matter of urgency, to come and secure our people and constituency since no one is allowed to take up arms, then it is the responsibility of the government to protect people.”

    One of the survivors, Galilee Ishaku, a resident of Sabon Layi, said, “Those who attacked us were Fulani and they came when we were in the market because it was market day.

    “They suddenly entered our village and started shooting. We ran and cross over the river but they followed us and kept on shooting.

    “Right now as I am talking, they are in our village, grazing on our farms.

    “The people that I know were killed were more than 30 people but many of our villagers are still unaccounted for.”

    Another resident, Dong Jonah, said the attacks usually followed rumours of an impending attack, adding that despite the early warnings to security agencies, measures were hardly taken to forestall the attacks.

    However, the Adamawa State Government, on Tuesday through the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ahmad Sajoh, condemned the attacks on Numan and Demsa communities.

    He also expressed the government’s concern about the displacement caused by the attacks while assuring the residents that the state government was working to restore peace to the troubled area.

    The Monday night attack was the fourth in two weeks with the residents claiming that over 100 people might have been killed. 21 persons were killed in attacks on Demsa and Numan villages.

  • Steer clear of Taraba, Delta, PDP cautions Oshiomhole

    Steer clear of Taraba, Delta, PDP cautions Oshiomhole

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, to wake up from his pipe dream of thinking that his anti-people party can forcefully take over Taraba and Delta States in 2019.

    The party said Oshiomhole should concentrate his energies on saving his APC from imminent collapse rather than attempting to bully and override the people of Delta and Taraba states ahead of 2019 elections.

    Perhaps Oshiomhole mistook Delta and Taraba states 2019 elections for the APC 2018 national convention where President Muhammadu Buhari bullied and intimidated delegates to foist him as National Chairman, without proper election.

    Nigerians know that Delta and Taraba states are major strongholds of the PDP for which we clearly won the 2015 governorship and presidential elections in the states.

    The PDP, in 2015, enjoyed overwhelming followership which has now tripled in the last three years, signposting our inevitable victory in 2019, particularly due to the sterling performance of Governors Ifeanyi Okowa and Darius Ishaku in delivering good governance and development to the people.

    Furthermore, it is an unpardonable assault on the sensibilities of the people of these states for Oshiomhole to mute that they will vote for the same APC, which has failed to protect their lives and has continued to play helpless while marauders slaughter their brothers and sisters and ravage their communities.

    We are however not unaware of Oshiomhole’s pattern of deploying false assertions, propaganda and instigating confusion, but we assure him that such cannot work in Delta and Taraba states, no matter the machination, as the people are solidly behind the PDP in our quest with majority of Nigerians to rescue our nation from the clutches of the APC.

    Instead of wasting his time fixating on PDP states, we advice Oshiomhole to direct his energy on how to save his crumbling party from the misfortune of being stuck with an unpopular candidate in President Buhari, who has become the fixed omen of inescapable electoral humiliation of the APC in 2019.

    Even Oshiomhole, who by now ought to have surrendered himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of humongous corruption and stealing of public funds hanging on his neck, knows that he is a derelict salesman of a very bad product, but had to believably take up the job to save himself from prosecution.

    We know that Oshiomhole, in the excitement of his prosecution cover, would do everything to please his benefactor, but rather than seeking to distract our governors, who are busy delivering and commissioning projects, he should direct attention to President Buhari and APC governors who cannot boast of any serious achievement upon which they can campaign in 2019.

    The PDP cautions the APC to perish the thoughts of muzzling the electoral process at any level in 2019, as such will be stiffly resisted by Nigerians across the country.

     

  • 14 years imprisonment: Appeal the judgement, Taraba residents tell ex-Gov Nyame

    Following the judgement of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja which sentenced former Governor Jolly Nyame of Taraba State to 14 years’ imprisonment, residents of Taraba have urged him to appeal the judgement.

    Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Gudu, Abuja, had, on Wednesday, found the former governor guilty of 27 of the 41 counts preferred against him.

    Nyame, who was charged with 41 counts of misappropriating the sum of N1.64bn in 2007, was found guilty of breach of trust involving fraudulent approval of N250m for the purchase of stationery and office equipment on December 30, 2004.

    But reacting to the ruling, some residents of Taraba who called on their former governor to approach the Court of Appeal which they said would overturn the ruling of the lower court.

    One of the respondents, Barrister Nierus Johnson, said the former governor still have windows of redress ahead if he has good ground of appeal and urged him and his team of lawyers to consider testing the decision of the high court at the court of appeal.

    Again, Mohammed Umar, who said he had worked closely with the former governor, urged him to appeal the judgement of the Federal High Court.

    He described as “laughable” the decision of the court to sentence the former governor, saying Nyame had laid a solid foundation for a greater Taraba, and that the issues the court relied on would be quashed at the Appeal Court.

    On the allegations that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari was being selective in the fight against corruption, Nierus said government should prosecute people across board so as to be seen as being holistic.

    “The fight against corruption in the country today seems to be one-sided and targeted at opposition. We want government to be holistic and focused in the fight against corruption.

    “Today, if you are accused of corruption and you cross over to APC, nobody talks about it again.

    “I remember the case of one of the former governors of Plateau State, but since he crossed carpet to APC, the issue has died a natural death. We have several of such cases in the country today,” Nierus said.

    Mrs. Tabitha Kassa, a market woman who said she had enjoyed goodwill during the tenure of the former governor, urged him not to be deterred by the high court judgment, noting that the decision of the high court was not final.

     

  • Killings: Taraba govt, others reject Army’s report on Danjuma’s allegation

    The Taraba State Government and the Jukun Development Association of Nigeria (JDAN) have rejected the “no guilty” verdict of the Gen. John Nimyel’s panel, which investigated Gen. T.Y. Danjuma’s allegations of criminal acts of collusion by the army in the killings of innocent people in the state.

    In a statement issued yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Bala Dan Abu, the government said it was baffled on why the panel would return a verdict of not guilty to the army, when military’s “atrocious activities” were documented and known within and outside the shores of Nigeria.

    The government described the report as an extension of the army’s bias, which “it exhibited and has continued to exhibit over the crises”.

    It said with the verdict, the army has proved once again the appropriateness of the popular axiom that one cannot and should not sit in judgment in a case in which it is also the accused.

    “The army under General Tukur Buratai, lacks the courage, capacity and fair mindedness to do what is right to protect victims of the herdsmen massacres committed not only in Taraba State but also in Benue, Adamawa, Kaduna, Plateau, Zamfara and Kogi states,” the statement said.

    It said the verdict of not guilty did not surprise the people because they had watched in awe as the soldiers, who were meant to preserve lives and quell the marauding killings of the herdsmen, had looked the other way when the killings took place.

    “We in Taraba State and all other Nigerians who have followed the Army’s shocking acts of looking the other way while the massacres raged in these parts of the country are not surprised by the verdict of ‘not guilty’, which the army panel returned in favour of the army. The case of the Army’s culpability in the killings is very widely known and acknowledged within and outside the shores of this country. It is on record that even Amnesty International had reason to condemn the Army’s lukewarm attitude to the killings in the past.

    “The Army and other security agencies did not only fail to stop the killings anywhere and everywhere its soldiers were deployed, they deliberately promoted it by looking the other way so that the killers could have unhindered access to their unarmed and helpless victims.”

    JDAN, at a news conference in Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday denounced the report and demanded the setting up of an independent judicial panel of enquiry to conduct an unbiased investigation into the allegations of military complicity in the killings.

    Its National President, Chief Bako Benjamin, had said the panel’s report, falls far short of expectations and can at best be described as a shoddy job fit for the waste bin.

    He lamented that rather than give hope of justice to the families of the innocent farmers and other villagers hacked down by the herdsmen, the Army merely engaged in “empty rhetoric” of setting up of panels to cleanse themselves of wrong doings, a practice, for which he said, they are becoming notorious for.

    According to him, the Nigerian Army yet again missed another opportunity to cleanse itself of allegations of gross abuse levelled against them by Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma and human rights organisations, including Amnesty International (AI).

    “The Nigerian Army panel did a very poor and unprofessional job and wasted the opportunity to scribble their names in gold. The report is unacceptable to Jukun people and therefore it is hereby rejected in its entirety,” he said.

    He wondered why the principal characters (Fulani herdsmen) accused of precipitating the crisis that gave birth to Gen. Danjuma’s allegations were never mentioned in the report.

    The panel, he stated, almost completely avoided the main subject of the matter, which were the attacks and killing of farmers and innocent villagers, but was addressing porous borders and past misunderstandings between brothers in a deliberate attempt to stir up tempers and portray Jukuns as historically troublesome.

    “It is also curious that the panel deliberately refused to use a single material out of the hundreds of documented paper works, audio and video recordings of witnesses, community leaders and youth groups with shocking and gruesome evidences of ethnic cleansing and genocide in more than 20 villages across southern Taraba,” he said.

     

  • Troops kill 36 Militia Herdsmen in Benue, Taraba, others

    The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Monday said troops have eliminated 36 militia herdsmen at the weekend with the commencement of Operation Whirl Stroke in Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara states.

    The Acting Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. John Agim said in a statement that a soldier was killed during the operation, while two others were wounded. He added that the wounded soldiers have been treated and discharged from the Hospital.

    Brig. Gen Agim said in Taraba 8 bandits were arrested and handed over to officials of the Department of State Security (DSS) for further interrogation, adding that different categories of arms and ammunitions were recovered from the militia gang.

    Brig. Gen Agim said: “Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) operating in Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara states conducted a four prong clearance operations during the weekend. At Umaisha and Toto Villages, troops ambushed the militia following a tipoff of a planned attack on the two villages.

    “On the ensuing melee 1 x G3 rifle, 193 x 17.62 mm NATO, 81xG3 rifle ammunition, a locally made pistol and 1 FN magazine filled with round were recovered and 1 militia was killed. In another development, one Adamu Abdullahi, a suspected herdsman at Rukubi in Doma LGA of Nasarawa state was arrested in possession of an ID card of the vigilante group of Nigeria, Nasarawa state command and a photograph in which he posed with an AK47 rifle.

    “The suspect is still under interrogation and will be handed over to the police for prosecution after preliminary investigation.

    “Similarly, clearance operation across Gwer West, Logo and Guma LGA’s of Benue State was conducted during the weekend. Troops made contact with heavily armed herdsmen around lower Benue and a militia camp at chetarer village.

    “The troops engaged the militia and followed the pursuit with M135 Helicopter of their air component. This led to a large member of them being neutralized. In all, 35 herdsmen were neutralized and a large number of them escaped with gunshot injuries.

    “However, a soldier was killed in action (KIA), 2 sustained slight injuries but have been treated and discharged. Also, 1 soldier is still missing in action.

    “Furthermore, OPWS in Nasarawa State arrested one Musa Habu (aged 32 years) at Kolo close to Umiasha in Toto Local Government Council. Items recovered from the suspect include; 1 locally made pistol, 2 x cartridges, 1 Techno phone and hundred and thirty naira only.

    “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is linked with some suspected militia in that locality. He has been handed over to the DSS for further necessary action.

    “In the same vein, troops of OPWS sector 3 Taraba, on patrol through Kwesati, Manya-Garagun axis made contact with 8 bandits who were arrested and were armed with 2 AK47 rifle, 1 x K2 rifle and 2 x locally made gun.

    “Ammunitions recovered from them include 56 rounds of 7.6mm, 25 rounds of k2, 3x cartridge, charms, phones amongst other items. Suspects and items are to be handed over to DSS for further investigation”.

  • Danjuma’s allegations on Taraba killings baseless – Buratai

    The Nigerian Army on Friday said allegations against it by retired Gen. T.Y Danjuma that it colluded with the militia in Taraba State and refused to protect the people were untrue.

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, made this known at a news conference in Abuja where he gave details of the findings of the 10-member panel the Army constituted to probe the allegations.

    The panel, which comprised serving and retired army personnel, representatives of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), was set up on April 10. It submitted its report of April 25.

    Danjuma, on March 24 at the convocation of Taraba State University in Jalingo, alleged that some troops on internal operation in Taraba colluded with killers and herdsmen who attacked communities in the state.

    He said that the troops failed to protect the residents against the attacks.

    “You must rise to protect yourselves from these people; if you depend on the armed forces to protect you, you will all die.

    “I ask all of you to be on the alert and defend your country, defend your state,” he admonished.

    Danjuma said that the unnecessary killings, which were akin to “an act of ethnic cleansing” being perpetrated against the people of Taraba specifically and Nigeria at large, must stop.

    He accused the military of being part of the killings.

    But Buratai, who was represented by Maj.-Gen. Nuhu Angbazo, Chief of Military/Civil Affairs, said: “With respect to the statement by Lt.-Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, it is clear that the allegations were not true.

    “There is a need to urge for caution on the part of the elder statesman in view of the security implication of such comments.’’

    Buratai exonerated the army, saying that there was no collusion between it and bandits in Taraba as alleged by the former chief of army staff.

    Rather, he said, there was “sustained media campaign to belittle Nigerian army and other security agencies’ operation in the state’’ without saying who was behind the campaign.

    He stated that the panel found that Taraba governor made several attempts to remove the Commanding Officer of 9 Battalion, Lt.-Col. I.B. Gambari, for “his refusal to be dragged into the state politics’’.

    Buratai also alleged that the chairman of Takum Local Government Area attempted to undermine the authority of the commanding officer but did not give details.

    He commended the officer and troops on operation in the state for their professional conduct.

    According to the army chief, most of the crises over the years in Taraba were, particularly in Takum, Wukari, Ussa, Donga and Sardauna Local Government Areas.

  • Nigerian Air Force deploys 150 Special Forces to Taraba

    Nigerian Air Force deploys 150 Special Forces to Taraba

    Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Sunday deployed 150 personnel of its special forces to its newly established 23 Quick Response Wing (QRW) in Nguroje, Sarduana Local Government Council in Taraba.

    Other Quick Response Wings established by NAF in the North Central region are located in Doma, Nasarawa State and Agatu in Benue.

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who addressed the troops in Jalingo before their departure, urged the personnel to be professional in the discharge of their duties.

    Represented by AVM Napoleon Bali, the Director of Operations, NAF Headquarters, Abubakar said “let me use this opportunity to reiterate the need for you to be professional in discharging your duties.

    “You must always abide by the Nigerian Air Force Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement (ROE) as well as the Laws of Armed Conflict.

    “I, therefore, urge you to consider it as a rare privilege to be part of the pioneer troops to establish the unit.

    “Accordingly, you need to maintain cordial relationship with the host community as they support you in your assigned responsibilities.”

    The chief of air staff said the special forces were part of the ongoing NAF policy to build a robust Air Force capable of responding effectively, efficiently and timely to Nigeria’s national security imperatives.

    He noted that the deployment marked the commencement of operations at the newly established Quick Response Wings in the North Central region of the country.

    He added that evolving security challenges in the country and the need to create peaceful environment to facilitate increased economic activities necessitated the establishment of the unit in Nguroje.

    Abubakar urged the troops to partner with other security agencies to support Taraba in containing insecurity.

    The air chief appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari, the Taraba Government, the host community and all who contributed to the smooth take off of the new unit.

    The establishment of new units is in line with the chief of air staff’s vision of repositioning NAF into a highly professional and disciplined force through capacity building initiatives.

    It is also for timely employment of air power in response to Nigeria’s national security imperatives.

  • Gunmen invade Taraba community, kill nine

    The Police Command in Taraba on Wednesday confirmed the death of nine persons in early morning attacks on Tutuwa community in Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP David Misal, told newsmen that a yet-to-be identified armed militia must have carried out the deadly attack.

    Misal said that Alhaji Aliyu Tafida, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of the command, and heads of other security agencies in the state had already moved in to assess the situation.

    Mr Rimansikwe Karma, the Chairman of Ussa Local Government Council, while also confirming the attack to newsmen, added that three people were injured.

    Karma said that the attackers rounded up the village at about 5 a.m. and launched the attack when members of the community were going for early morning prayers.

    “Every Wednesday morning, the community conducts mid-week service and most of them were on their way, when the armed militia attacked them.

    “Nine persons were killed and three others sustained life threatening injuries and are currently receiving treatment at Takum General Hospital.

    “The unfortunate thing is that the attackers left before the arrival of security personnel,” he said.