|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State
By Yusuf Salihu Sansani, Jalingo
Suspected ethnic militias are attacking Takum town in Taraba State targeting mainly Hausa people.
A resident of the area Malam Yakubu Sani alleged the attackers are Kuteb militia armed with sophisticated weapons unleashed mayhem on the Hausa quarters early Sunday May 21, 2023.
He said the Hausa did not provoke anybody, group or any tribe in Takum to warrant the attacks by the Kuteb militia.
Sani explained that the Hausas were not involved in the crisis between the Fulani and Kuteb in Takum but the Kuteb transfered their aggression on the law-abiding Hausa community in the town.
He said: “As l am talking to you now the attacks is still going on and no security is deployed to stop the militia from killing the innocent Hausa people inside Takum town”.
According to him, the militia killed thirteen Hausa travellers along Takum- Mararaba, Takum-Kashimbila and Takum-Katsina-Ala roads within the last few days.
He called on the Federal and Taraba State Governments to as a matter of urgency deploy soldiers and police to safe the Hausa community from extinction.
Another indigene of Takum who spoke on condition of anonymity said the genesis of the current crisis is that two butchers were killed about a week ago along Takum- Kashimbilla road and the butchers instead of taking the issue lawfully went for a reprisal attack along the road where they met the Kuteb tribe and the Kuteb people reinforced to Takum and started killing the Hausa people in the area who have no connection in any way with the attack by the butchers on them.
He further noted that the problem between the Kuteb and the Hausa in Takum is a long time issue because in the past the Hausa people in Takum have been aligning with the Kuteb in all their crises with the other tribes particularly the Jukun but they reslized that their alliance with the Kuteb has no benefit and decided to tilt towards the Jukuns and for this reason the Kuteb were not happy and looking for a slightest opportunity to turn their arsenals towards their former allies.
He maintained that any figure of casualty provided from any quarter at the moment is vague because many of the Hausa people have ran for their dear lives they don’t even know where many of their people are while number of those killed are yet to ascertained.
When contacted the National president of Kuteb Association, Mr Emmanuel Ukwen said he was in Takum town and and will not know what is exactly happening there.
Ukwen, however, confirmed that the crisis in Takum is not only between the Kuteb and the Hausa people but it affects all the other tribes in the town.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), in Taraba State, SP Usman Abdullahi confirmed that two Hausa people were initially killed in Takum town and the Hausas revolted against the killings and that was what ignited this new crisis.
He further stated that already soldiers and squadron police have been drafted to Takum town to control the situation.
As of the time of filing this report this Monday morning gunshots were still heard in Takum town.
