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By Jethro Yerga, Jalingo.
Taraba State House of Assembly, through a matter of urgent public importance has called on the federal and state executives to declare state of emergency on security in the state over the recent “senseless killings and destruction of properties”
In a motion moved on Wednesday by some members; Hon. Abubakar John Tanko, Takum (1), Hon. John Lamba, Takum (II), Hon. Joshua Urenyang, Ussa, Hon. Angye Josiah Yaro, Wukari (II), Hon. Jethro Yakubu, Wukari (I) and Hon. Annas Shuaibu – Karim-Lamido (II), urged the respective government to urgently arrest the security situations in the various constituencies.
The joint motion which was read by Hon. Tanko of Takum (I) stated that unknown gunmen have rained attacks on several villages/communities in parts of Southern Taraba as well as in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of the State.
In the motion, the members further noted that, the sporadic and unprovoked attacks in their constituencies have led to wanton destruction of lives and properties including farmlands and other means of livelihood of the people in the constituencies.
“Our concern is that, the people affected by the crisis have been rendered homeless, without food, access to health care and education, thereby exposing them to famine, diseases, hardship and other inconveniences of displacement.
The members also noted that the crisis which has persisted, is snowballing into banditry and also fast spreading to some neighboring communities in Donga and Kurmi Local Governments Areas respectively, thereby jeopardising the stability and farming activities in the areas.
The members expressed worry that bandits/terrorist have taken advantage of the crisis to take over control of communities such as Tati, Muje, Kpashi, Basang, Shenta, Kpashembe, Rikwen, Tumbu Kwaribe, Yadi among others in Takum Local Government Area where they forcefully ejected the original inhabitants and turned their farmlands into grazing fields and banditry camps to serve as safe heavens for themselves to further perpetrate other criminal activities such as kidnappings.
The members in the motion advised that, if the banditry activities are not brought to an end quickly, it would lead to a humanitarian crisis with all the attendant consequences.
“In the last attacks, the terrorists waylaid innocent and defenseless people as they move freely between Takum to Ussa. In the wake of this, two Immigration Officers were accosted and killed by the bandits between Government Technical Training School (GTTS) and Government Secondary School (GSS) Takum.
“These bandits’ onslaught on the defenseless locals, villages and communities have affected particularly in Ussa and Yangtu, also in Wukari, Takum and Kalim-Lamido Local Government Areas.
In a unanimous prayers, all members of the state assembly urge President Bola Tinubu and Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba state to urgently declare state of emergency on security in the areas to arrest the situationand give room for peace for the people to return to their various farming activities.