An explosive device suspected to be a bomb exploded in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, on Sunday September 18.
Eyewitnesses who claimed that the bomb was planted behind a drinking joint, told Channels Television that the incident occurred at about 9:35pm at the location close to the First Roundabout leading to Taraba State University.
Though no life was lost, the explosion reportedly caused damages to some shops and residential buildings in the area. A local said;
“A little baby of about four years was at the shop sleeping when the wall collapsed.“Luckily, she survived it and is receiving medical attention at a hospital.”
While the state police command and the state government are yet to comment on the explosion, the police have cordoned off the area to avert another blast just in case another device was planted nearby.
Residents of the area have also expressed fear over what could befall them again, adding that Sunday’s incident was the fourth in the chain of explosions that have rocked the state since the beginning of the year.
Taraba State Police Command has commenced the hunt for those responsible for the killing of two mobile policemen, via the deployment of its tactical team.
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, April 7, by the spokesperson of the command, DSP David Misal.
Misal stated that the tactical team was already in Takum and on the order of the state police commissioner to apprehend those responsible for the killing in Takum and also beef up security along all roads in the area.
The two policemen were ambushed and killed at a checkpoint along Takum – Katsina-Ala road by gunmen, Ripples Nigeria gathered.
This is bringing the number to four policemen killed and their weapons taken away by gunmen in recent weeks.
No fewer than 17 persons were killed along Wukari – Takum road, Takum – Kashinbila road and Takum – Katsina-Ala road by gunmen within the same period.
The gunmen, who set fire to several houses, attacked the community at about 11.20 pm on Saturday for more than 30 minutes, without being checkmated by the police or military personnel.
Gunmen suspected to be Jukun militias have invaded Tor-Iorshaer community, Rafinkada ward in the Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State, killing at least four persons who had just returned to their community based on the state government’s directive.
The gunmen, who set fire to several houses, attacked the community at about 11.20 pm on Saturday for more than 30 minutes, without being checkmated by the police or military personnel.
Survivors of the attack, who spoke with SaharaReporters, lamented that many of the residents had returned to the community, based on a directive of the State Governor, Darius Ishaku, that normalcy had returned to the areas and that the security agencies would ensure the protection of the lives and property of the indigenes.
The gunmen, however, struck on Saturday, sacking the Tor-Iorshaer community without any visible presence or intervention of the security agencies.
The deceased were identified as Godwin Meer, Oryina Sunday Mdooga, Alfred Sylvanus Mchivga and Ayar Chia.
A resident, who gave his name only as Bitrus, told SaharaReporters, “This attack is one of several attacks in the past that made us, the indigenous people of the community, to flee our homes to neighbouring states for safety. No security agent seems to be in view despite a military camp within the community.
“Many of us are returnees. We acted based on the Taraba State government’s directive that the crisis was over, that all displaced people should return. But on returning home, we were suddenly attacked again and killed by the Jukun militias.”
Another survivor noted that the community forwarded the letters of their return to all the relevant security agencies in the state, requesting for security presence, but got nothing.
“We had been displaced for close to two years without the government’s intervention. Meanwhile, it was the Taraba State Government, who issued the directive for the displaced persons to return home to their ancestral land that the crisis was over,” the survivor said.
A government official said the only way to resolve the crisis was to ensure that the security agencies do their work and do not take sides with any ethnoreligious interests in the state.
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