• Governor says peace has returned to Mambilla Plateau
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, Thursday night, summoned Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku, over communal crises in the state.
Communal unrest between cattle rearers and farmers on June 17, 2017, was said to have started in Nguroje village and quickly spread to other parts of Mambilla Plateau, resulting in loss of lives and properties.
Fulani communities in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State had called on the acting president to intervene.
They alleged that a local militia in the area has been killing Fulani and destroying their property.
In a swift reaction, Sardauna Local Government stakeholders described the petition by the Fulani community as flood of misinformation.
They insisted that many people around Lijire, Damu and Mayo Sina villages were yet to be accounted for, and alleged that Lijire and Damu, two Mambilla villages, were completely wiped out by the Fulani militia and these villages contain hundreds of inhabitants.
They also refuted claims that only Fulani properties were destroyed and insisted that facts on the ground show that the Mambilla and Kaka people also lost properties in the crises.
Speaking to State House Correspondents after the meeting, Ishaku assured that peace has returned to the crisis area of Mambila.
“We are trying to consolidate on the peace. We are trying to reconcile people, we have sent so many emissaries up there for peace initiatives and so far so good, the place has calmed down, there is security everywhere, they are doing their best and we are happy with them.
“We are trying as much as possible to put the past behind us while we look into the details later on, when the place is fully calm,” Isiaku said.
On why the crisis erupted in the area, the governor it should not have happened in the first instance.
“One of the local chiefs was taken to a particular location but rumour went round to the contrary.
“That is simply the truth of the matter and we had to make sure that he was back the following day but, then, the damage had been done.
“In this modern age, with various means of communication like telephone, Facebook and many more, the message went viral.
“So, we were left with the option of fire-fighting and largely, we succeeded but, of course, we had to bear the pains of the losses incurred, which comprised lives, buildings and cows,” he added.
Speaking on mechanisms being put in place to forestall further occurrence Isiaku said “we are working hard on that and I can assure you by the grace of God, with the intervention that the security has done now, we may not see that kind of a thing again. It has been very good.”
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