…. Condemns renewed attacks on Wukari by suspected Tiv militia

By Femi Bolaji

Taraba state government has said the state governor, Darius Ishaku, is a governor for all citizens of the state as against some insinuations that he is a Jukun governor.

The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Danjuma Adamu, who spoke Wednesday at a briefing in Jalingo the state capital, said the governor swore an oath to promote and protect the interest of all Tarabans.

He however frowned at the renewed attacks on some communities in Wukari by suspected Tiv militias, which he said some groups were using as campaign of calumny against the efforts of the state government.

According to him, “my attention has been drawn to a campaign of calumny against His Excellency, Arch. Darius Dickson Ishaku, the Executive Governor of Taraba State following the recent attacks on Wukari and the murder of Mr. Yusuf Usman in Donga by suspected Tiv militia.

“My initial reaction was to ignore such mischievous elements whose stock-in-trade is to undermine the good efforts of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku who has been tirelessly working to maintain peace and enhance development throughout the State.

“I am, however, compelled to respond because it is evident there are cowardly characters who lack the confidence to reveal their identities. This campaign is being prosecuted by a desperate group aimed at undermining the legacies of the Governor and his rising political profile.

“On Thursday, 2 April, 2020 Mr. Yusuf Usman and his wife from Donga left for farm, unfortunately they were attacked on the way by suspected Tiv militia, resulting to the murder of Yusuf and abduction of his wife who has still not been found.

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“The same Thursday in the evening in Wukari some suspected Tiv militia attacked Wukari from the Old B.B Bread area, which led to the death of a young man and burning of some thatched houses.

“As a matter of fact, these suspected Tiv militias have turned themselves into terrorist group, and now and then terrorizing the peace loving people of Southern Taraba.

“These dastardly attacks did not start today, but have been happening over several decades, which have resulted to loss of many lives, dislocation of people and destruction of properties running into billions of Naira.

He further stated that “in the case of the Wukari attack by the suspected Tiv militia in the early hours of Tuesday, 7th April, 2020 (the second in two weeks), it was successfully repelled.

“It should be further noted that when Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku came to power in 2015, as a leader concerned with protecting the lives of people of the State generally, he immediately swung into action by embarking on peace meetings with his Benue State counterpart and various communities in Southern Taraba, aimed at finding lasting solutions to these crises and to establish sustainable peace in the State.

“These efforts include: Taraba and Benue Joint Security Peace meeting held on Friday 3rd February, 2017 at the Kashimbilla Dam Site, Taraba State; Benue and Taraba States Boundary/Security Peace meeting held on Tuesday 5th September, 2017 at Ugba Youth Centre, Logo Local Government, Benue State; A Tripartite meeting of officials on Benue and Taraba Interstate Boundary held at Banquet Hall, Benue Peoples’ House, Makurdi, Benue State, 5th October, 2017; Benue/Taraba Inter-state Boundary Joint Field Technical Report, 12th December, 2017 and Joint Security meeting between Benue and Taraba States at Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Saturday, 29th December, 2018.

“Despite these efforts by Governor Ishaku, these characters who do not wish the State well seem happy to see the State in perpetual turmoil.

“This is why they continue to embark on this campaign of calumny and falsehood against the Governor saying he did not do much to sustain peace in Taraba State.

“The oath of office he swore (not as a Jukun Governor, but the Governor of Taraba State) is to promote peace, progress, harmonious co-existence and cultural upliftment of the people of Taraba State as a whole.”

“In line with his mantra “give me peace and I will give you development”, Governor Ishaku has taken the State higher in development.”

He however advised the governor’s detractors to desist from their campaign of calumny, and allow him focus on ensuring lasting peace and development across the state.

Vanguard