BY PETER DURU & JIMITOTA ONOYUME
No fewer than eight persons have been confirmed dead in two separate incidents at Demavea village in Taraba State and Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The casualties include five persons killed in renewed fighting between Tiv communities and Fulani herdsmen in Taraba and three shot dead by fleeing armed robbers in Port Harcourt.

The ensuing crisis has forced thousands of members of the Tiv communities in Taraba State into seeking refuge in Katsina-Ala local government of Benue State.

Vanguard gathered from sources that the rampaging herdsmen invaded the Tiv settlement, shooting indiscriminately, burning down houses, huts and farm produce of their victims.

A source who claimed that the number of the dead could be higher, said the victims were fleeing Takum in droves for fear of being hacked down.

Reacting to the unfortunate incident, a member of Benue House of Assembly representing Katsina-Ala West,  Aondowase Jator, decried the fighting and high influx of Tiv indigenes into Benue from Taraba State.

Jator said yesterday that thousands of Tiv people who fled Taraba State were now taking refuge in Katsina-Ala, Gbishi, Tor-Donga and other surrounding villages in Benue State under harsh condition.

He condemned the crisis, describing it as ‘unfortunate’ and called on the two state governments to check the fighting and also take urgent steps to resettle the victims of the crisis.

The legislator also sued for immediate resolution of the crisis to enable the Tiv people who have lived in the area for a long time to return to their homes.

Vanguard gathered that fighting broke out on Boxing Day in Demavea village, Chanchanji ward, Takum local government area in Taraba State; an area that is predominantly occupied by the Tiv.

It was gathered that fighting broke out in the community when some Fulani herdsmen in the community raised a false alarm that one of them had been killedy by a Tiv man and this sparked off a reprisal attack that led to the wanton destruction of property and sacking of Tiv people from the community.

The DPO in-charge of Katsina-Ala, Dominic Iornumber, who could not confirm the number of death in the fighting as it did not fall under his jurisdiction, however, confirmed the ensuing crisis and assured that there was no cause for alarm at the Katsina-Ala end. He said his men were on alert to monitor the situation at the border areas between the two states.

Meanwhile, in the Port  Harcourt incident, sources said the victims include two personnel of Rivers State Traffic Management Committee, TIMARIV.

Vanguard gathered that the robbers, in an  escape bid, first opened fire around Okija area where stray bullets killed one.

It was learnt that they opened fire again in D Line area of Port Harcourt, killing two staff of TIMARIV.

One of them reportedly died on the spot, while the other, a female, died later in the hospital.

The state Police Commissioner Mr Suleiman Aba, confirmed the development, and added that investigation was in top gear to track down those behind the incident.

ACN accuses Rivers govt of non-challant

Meanwhile,  Action Congress of Nigeria, AC.N, in a statement by Mr Jeery Needam, condemned the crime situation in the state.

The party called on the governor to tender an apology to the state.

“While consoling with  families of those who lost the lives of their loved ones in today’s armed robbery attacked, we urged the Rivers State government to apologize to Rivers people for failing to provide adequate security, despite billions of naira collected monthly in the name of security vote,” the party said.