Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The Speaker Taraba state House of Assembly Dr Joseph Albasu Kunini on Thursday urged traditional and religious leaders in the state to intensify efforts at taking the teeming youths under their care to avoid a repeat of the the ugly incidents of mass looting of public and private property in the state in the last couple of days.
Kunini made the call on Thursday while addressing the clergy and other people at the Catholic pastoral centre in Jalingo.
He noted that the situation where a simple protest which the government was already working hard to address the issues presented by the youth was not only irresponsible but totally unacceptable.
“I understand that the youth had issues and they presented these issues to the government in a protest. I am aware that the state government hard promised to address their issues and was already working hard to set up a committee that would look into the issues and proffer solutions only for the youth to rise and literally take up arms against the government.
“The level damage done to both private and public property is simply unquantifiable. Now is it the challenges they presented that the government would address or the cries of the people whose property and means of livelihood they vandalized? It is really unfortunate.
“Let me therefore use this opportunity to call on religious and traditional leaders to join hands in taking the youth to avoid such further occurrences. The families must be able to teach their children the life long virtues of tolerance, patience and respect for constituted authorities. Ours is an organized society and not a community of outlaws operating in a lawless territory. We must not allow ourselves to degenerate to a state of anarchy” Kunini said.
Our correspondent reports that the youth broke into government and private warehouses in Jalingo and other offices and establishment, both public and private owned to loot property and cause wanton destruction that is estimated at over billion Naira already, even as the extent of full damage is yet to be determined.
