Ndaka/Bissaula crisis: How 3 policemen were overpowered, killed in Taraba

Taraba State Police Command has confirmed that three of its officers were killed in a communal crisis that erupted in Kurmi Local Government Council of the state recently.

Making the confirmation on Monday in Jalingo, the state capital, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Usman Abdullahi, said the officers were killed in the unrest that occurred between Ndaka and Bissaula communities in Kurmi.

The officers, according to him, were overpowered by a yet-to-be identified militia group, whom he believed the command would soon track down.

The killing of the officers came barely a month after the state governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, inaugurated a commission of inquiry to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the upheaval that erupted in the communities early this year.

Vowing to tread all legitimate paths to bring the preparators to book, he beckoned at any person or group with genuine information that would lead to the arrest of the suspected culprits to reach out to the command.

In a statement also made available to newsmen by the leadership of one of the communities, they alleged that the Ndaka militiamen who carried out the attack also killed an elderly woman and destroyed property worth millions of naira.

Signed by Jibril Garba, the group at the same time alleged that the Ichen ethnic group in Bissaula town have come under a series of unprovoked, but premeditated attacks by Ndaka militia despite peace efforts by the government and stakeholders.

According to the statement, “As a peace-loving and law-abiding people, we welcomed the commission of inquiry set up by the Governor, with the hope that peace would be restored and we encourage our people who were displaced to return to Bissaula.

“Unfortunately, Ndaka militias struck again and killed three mobile policemen who were deployed to restore normalcy and their service rifles taken away.

“We condemn these attacks and killing of the three policemen and our people by Ndaka militia, we call on the government to investigate the attacks and ensure that the perpetrators and their accomplices are apprehended and the service rifles of the slain policemen recovered.”

They, however, expressed hope that the establishment of the commission of inquiry by the state governor will go a long way in unravelling the rationale behind the killings and massive destruction of property in the communities.

—Charles Akpeji is a Journalist with MOC. He is a mass Communication graduate of Hassan Usman Polytechnic, Katsina state. He is a creative, driven, dedicated and dependable Journalists with over eighteen years’ experience in journalism profession.  He has excellent track record as a correspondent working with one of the most reputable media organization with a circulation all over Nigeria. He is skilled in writing, investigating, and writing pitches among others.  Charles worked as a staff writer with the defunct Smash Magazine and as a state correspondent with the defunct NewAge newspaper, etc