Taraba Govt blamed for recurring tensions

Abuja - The State House of Assembly Committee
on Information blamed the Taraba State
Government for failing to end the ongoing
hostility in some parts of the region.
Chairman of the Committee, Daniel Ishaya Gani,
said the state government has not be able to
addressed the crisis that has resulted to the
death of 15 people and burning of Nayinawa,
Yayimini and Tudunwada villages in Jibu ward of
Wukari Local Government Area of the state.
“We have discovered that the government of
Taraba state under the control of the Acting
Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar is not capable of
securing the lives and properties of the citizens
of Taraba state, which was why most of the
people especially the Tiv are moving out of
Taraba state to go to a secure place,” he said.

He said the state government has continued to
drag its feet on the crisis.
“A lot of Tiv people have moved out of Taraba
state, a lot of Fulani have moved out of Wukari,
Ibi and even Donga areas.”
The lawmaker beckoned at the government to as
a matter of urgency wake up from the alleged
slumber.

“What we are saying in a nutshell is that the
government should sit up to its responsibility by
providing enough security personnel that would
not only be stationed on the main roads but
should be moving from the main roads to the
interiors assuring the people in the rural areas
that their lives are save,” Gani said.
He said if the state government had acted fast,
the crisis that emanated from both Benue and
Nassarawa states would not have spilled over to
Taraba State.

“The crisis did not start in Taraba state. The
crisis emanated from Benue and Nassarawa
state. But as I am talking to you now, the whole
impact of the crisis is now on the whole
southern Taraba. About three to four villages are
now burnt down completely by the Fulani
herdsmen.”

He expressed sadness that the federal committee
set up to find permanent solution to the crisis
was only restricted to Benue, Nassarawa and
Plateau States.

“I am calling on the Federal Government, that the
committee that is set up should not only be
restricted or mandated to work on peace,
resolution between Nassarawa and Benue states
only but Taraba state be included, and they
should come to Taraba state especially Wukari
and Ibi local governments to see the level of
damages done in these communities.”

– CAJ News