By Nahum Sule (Taraba State Correspondent, in Jalingo)
Insecurity in Nigeria is growing exponentially as each day passes by. The nation’s state of unrest will completely turn everywhere to miasma of bloodletting, if vital steps are not taken.
The havoc being wreaked by insurgents and Bandits in the North West Zone and parts of North East is gradually turning the region completely unsafe. Most residents in Taraba state are gripped with fear as fleeing bandits from the North West are now taking refuge in Taraba.
Recall towards the end of 2021, Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, raised an alarm over plots by Boko Haram and Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) to establish terrorist camps in the state. Cases of banditry attacks have increased at the moment in the state.
On the 24 of January 2022, an explosive suspected to have been planted by terrorists blew up at the Catholic Chapel of St. John's College, Mutum-Biyu, the headquarter of Gassol local government. This is the first time an explosion rock a church building in Taraba State. This terror act is blowing a whistle of a starting point of many attacks to come. The government need to act fast to avoid another 'Katsina Story'.
Also three persons were killed while hundreds of others are missing as bandits attacked Wuro Bokki village of Senderde ward in Gasol local government area of Taraba state. The bandits, in military uniforms and riding several motorcycles, struck last Saturday evening.
Reports say that the bandits wearing military uniforms and in large numbers, stormed the village at 4pm. They burnt down 11 houses with properties worth millions of naira during the operation and quietly returned to their base.
It was also gathered that the bandits have camps in a forest between Senderde and Gasol wards of the council.
Also, on the 12 of January this year, no fewer than 30 vigilantes were killed while several others are still missing during a bloody clash with terrorists in Gasol Local Government Area of Taraba State on Tuesday afternoon.
It was gathered that Miyeti Allah members and the local vigilantes, including some from Plateau State, on Tuesday afternoon, organised themselves and went into the forest with intention of flushing out the terrorists from their camp.
The terrorists’ camp, it was further gathered, is located in a forest in Karbawi, near Karal village which is very close to Gassol town. The terrorists got the information regarding the coming of the vigilantes through an informant.
The terrorists, after receiving information on the movement of the vigilante to their camp, stationed their members in strategic positions which gave them an advantage over the vigilante. The terrorists outnumbered the vigilantes. They were over 90 with sophisticated weapons.
The question going through people's minds is: if the locations of the bandits are known, what is the government waiting for? Do they want the terrorist camps to spread all through Taraba before taking full scale military action?
The Bandits are already gaining momentum as some of the traditional rulers seem not to be interested in revealing their locations to the government.
Recall that when governor Ishaku threaten to sack any traditional ruler who is harboring the bandit, he said “It is very sad that the traditional rulers are bent on encouraging this insecurity. Let me warn that I will not, and I repeat, I will not tolerate it and will not waste time to remove any traditional ruler that misbehaves.
“I am kind and soft, but I can sometimes be decisive. Being quiet and gentle does not make me a mere footstalk to be rubbished.
“I must add with emphasis that security is of great concern to all of us. Being the quietest state in the North East has its implications. I want to also talk to the traditional rulers. While we have warned them severally not to allow non-indigenes to settle in the state, their persistent refusal to abide by this warning is giving a lot of cause for concern to me,” the governor added.
Many cases of banditry attack have been reported since the year began, and this is a call for the government to sweep it forest clean before it becomes too late. Central Taraba has become a catching point for the bandit and this also has to give impetus to the government to move quickly and safeguard the residents of Taraba state. NNL.
