The governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, has been urged by the Ichen community of Bissaula in Kurmi Local Government Area to act promptly to ensure the rapid deployment of soldiers to the community to stop the ongoing attacks and killings in the neighbourhood.
Since December 17, 2021, a number of attacks have targeted Bissaula, the traditional centre of the Ichen people in the Kurmi LGA, resulting in the deaths of numerous people, including three mobile police officers who had been stationed there to provide security and who were killed in one of the attacks on March 16, 2022.
Addressing a press conference in Jalingo at the weekend on behalf of the Ichen community, Elder Ebi Bako enjoined the governor to as a matter of urgency, facilitate the permanent deployment of soldiers to the community to quell the killings.
According to him, “The Ichen community of Bissaula is appealing to the state governor to as a matter of urgent importance, ensure the deployment of military personnel to be stationed permanently in Bissaula to enforce peace between the Ichen and Ndaka people.”
Bako told newsmen that the community came under fresh attack on August 14 just a day after ammunition being conveyed to the militia group perpetrating the attacks was intercepted at Didan, a community within the local government area.
Bako stated that though the ammunition has been handled over to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kurmi, he however called for a thorough investigation into the matter particularly the Chairman of the Vigilance Group in Kurmi, Mr. Emmanuel Zachariah, who, according to him, claimed ownership of the ammunition.
As a recipe to permanent peace in the community, Bako appealed for the submission of the report of the Commission of Inquiry set up by the state government to unravel the issues around the Ichen/Ndaka crisis.
The Ichen community maintained that the timely submission of the report would enable the government to act on their recommendations to end the killings.
“We want to thank Governor Darius Ishaku for setting up a Commission of Inquiry to address the root causes of the conflict and find a lasting solution. As a peace-loving and law-abiding people, the people of Ichen community of Bissaula are appealing to the Commission of Inquiry to submit its report on time so that lasting peace will return to the Bissaula community.
“Government should also ensure that the perpetrators and their accomplices are apprehended and dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land,” he said.