Gunmen kill deputy registrar, lecturer, 4 other passengers in Taraba

Emmanuel Awari,Jalingo , Steve Unegbu, Umuahia and Ignatius Okorocha, Abuja

The police in Taraba State said a lecturer at the Federal University Wukari and deputy registrar of Taraba State School of Health Technology, Takum were among the passengers killed by gunmen along Takum-Wukari road on Monday morning.

The acting Police Public Relations Officer, Taraba police command, DSP Kwache Gambo, confirmed those killed in an interview with newsmen.

Six passengers and a driver were killed at a boundary area between Taraba and Benue states along Takum-Wukari road.

It was gathered that among the victims was a secondary school principal who was transferred from a secondary school in Takum to another secondary school in Wukari Local Government Area.

He was said to be on his way to report in the new  school he was posted when he was killed.

It was further learnt that  the lecturer from the Federal University Wukari was returning to Wukari after spending the weekend with his family in Takum.

It was gathered that there was serious tension in the community following the killing of travellers who were all  indigenes of the town.

But soldiers were however sent to patrol some areas around the town to contain the situation.

 

.Rep condemns killing

The member representing Takum/Donga/Ussa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Mark Bako Useni has condemned in strong terms the killing of six passengers along Takum – Wukari road.

This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Jalingo.

The statement reads in part:

“I condemn in strong terms the barbaric killing of six commuters along Takum- Wukari road.

“This unfortunate incident is coming a few weeks after the Chief of Chanchanji was murdered together with his son on the same road.

“My heart goes out to the families of the six victims of the dastard act .

“These criminal elements have also evolved a wicked strategy of following local farmers to their farm to kidnap for ransom, a situation which will aggravate the hunger being experienced in the land”.

He called on communities along the Taraba/Benue border on both sides to step up local intelligence and vigilance to make work easy for security agencies in protecting the areas.

While appreciating Taraba state Governor Dr Agbu Kefas for his usual prompt action towards security concerns, he implored strong synergy between Taraba and Benue state governments towards tackling the hydra headed  problem.

“As a Representative of the people I am already reaching out to my colleagues of the two Federal Constituencies on the Benue side to offer our support to the two governors to securing our people.

“I urge the affected communities to continue to be calm and allow security agencies to contain with the situation” – the statement added.

.As 5 die, two injured in Enugu-Port Harcourt Express Road crash

 

In another development, The Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC),Abia State Sector Command has confirmed that five not eleven persons as against Sunday’s reports, died from the crash that occured at Egbelu Mbutu by Cherubim bus Stop, Isialangwa South LGA along  Enugu-Portharcourt Expressway on 11 August, 2024 at 1345hrs.

 

The crash involving a Toyota Previa with registration number BKL 291 ZJ travelling to Enugu rammed into an unnumbered stationary Mack Truck.

 

Eleven persons were involved in the crash, they include six male adults, two female adults and three male children.

 

As at the time of the crash four persons (two male adults and two male children) died on the spot , while three persons were injured.

 

A rescue team from RS9.32 KM78 Aba Unit Command arrived the accident scene within 10 minutes of notice and conducted the rescue operations.

 

The injured victims were taken to Ronald Hospital, Umuikaa  and the dead deposited at the Mighty Moon Mortuary, close to Umuikaa Junction.

 

On a follow up by the FRSC  officials this morning it was confirmed that one male adult later died while receiving treatment in the hospital receiving treatment.

 

This development brings the number of deceased accident victims to five(three male adults and two male children) and injured victims to two persons(one male and one female).

 

The male victim was transferred to the Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, this morning for further medical treatment while the female victim remained in Roland Hospital, Umuikaa.

 

Three adults and one child  survived the crash without injuries, and the  only surviving child has been handed over to Umuikaa Police Station.

 

Preliminary investigation revealed that the cause of the crash was fatigue.

. Father, son, die in Jigawa building collapse

The Buji Local Government Council of Jigawa has confirmed the death of a 30-year-old man and his two-year-old son in a building collapse that occurred in Madabe village.

The council’s Information Officer, Alhaji Ali Safiyanu, who confirmed the information to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Monday, said the 25-year-old mother of the boy survived the incident.

Safiyanu said that the surviving mother is responding to treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

He explained that the incident which led to the collapse of the building occurred on Sunday night during a heavy downpour.

Also speaking, Badaruddeen Tijjani, the spokesman of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in the state, confirmed the incident but could not immediately give the names of the deceased and the survivor.

Tijjani said investigation had since commenced into the incident.

NAN recalls that flood wreaked havoc between Thursday and Sunday in some villages in the area, displacing about 400 households and destroying about 1,000 farms.

The State Management Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had already distributed relief items to the displaced persons camped in one of the schools in the area.

.FG to tackle insecurity, porosity at nation’s borders —Sen.Yaro

 

The Senate has said it will work assiduously with the Executive arm of government to tackle all forms of criminality and insecurity at the nation’s borders.

 

Making this declaration in  Abuja on Monday, Chairman Senate committee on states and local governments Administration, Senator Binos Dauda Yaro  said the National Assembly will work assiduously to ensure that opportunities wasting around the Nigerian border communities as a  result of insecurity and porosity are tackled head-on.

 

Senator Yaro pointed out that cross border crimes have impeded development over the years stressing that his committee will work with relevant stakeholders with the view to integrate sub-national border community  governments into the economic management of Nigeria .

 

Speaking at the two-day engagement with stakeholders in collaboration with Global Consult Limited , Yaro pointed out that the rate of crimes witnessed at the border communities can also be traced to long years of neglect and lack of basic amenities for Nigerian border communities.

 

According to him ,the committee intends to make the engagement an annual event and urged the Local Governments to use the opportunity of the Local Governments Autonomy to create positive impact on the people living within the border communities for their well-being and development .

 

 

“We are concerned about development of our border communities, the security of the people living there as well as  programmes that will give everyone a sense of belonging ”

 

He expressed concerns that most of the border communities are yet to be demarcated and properly defined, adding that some  of the conflicts are as a result of no clear cut defined borders .

 

In their  remarks, the deputy Governors of Abia, Gombe and Ekiti states all expressed enthusiasm that finally the Nigerian Senate is considering putting forward the right foot towards addressing the avalanche of challenges that Nigerians living in the border areas pass through on a daily basis .

The Gombe state Deputy Governor Mannaseh Daniel told the stakeholders since the creation of Gombe , the relevant authorities have not made any meaningful effort to clearly define the state’s boarder lines , describing the situation as recipe for unnecessary acrimony with neighbouring states .

 

It was the same view by the Abia state Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu ,who further commended the

Nigerian Senate for the bold step to engage the major stakeholders for the good of Nigeria.

 

Chairman of Global Gold Consult Engineer  Adegbayo expressed confidence that the two-day programme will come up with far-reaching solutions that will enhance and improve the living conditions of Nigerians living in the border communities and improve economic benefits for Nigeria.

 

He maintained that the desire to collaborate with the Senate was driven by the state of squalor of Nigerians living in those areas and the daily challenges they go through including health care and other basic needs.

 

For Dr Usman Farouk of the National Boundary Commission,the best approach for Nigeria in addressing the menace of cross border crimes will be the adoption of what he describes as the “Westphalian” method .

 

He pointed out that there are dire consequences should Nigeria continue to neglect the development of border communities .

 

“The resources and opportunities at the border communities are enormous and we must understand that the border communities are our windows and doors to the rest of the world and we must develop them”.

 

He told the gathering that currently .Nigeria does not have the correct statistics of border communities