Despite the set up of a commission of inquiry into the communal crisis between Ichen and Ndaka people in the Kurmi Local Government Area of Taraba State, militiamen last Wednesday killed three policemen deployed to maintain peace in Bissaula community.
The youth leader of Bissaula, Mr Jibrin Garba, in a statement on Monday, alleged that Ndaka militiamen, who carried out the attack, also killed an elderly woman and destroyed property worth millions of naira.
Garba also alleged that the Ichen people in Bissaula town had come under a series of attacks despite peace efforts by the government and stakeholders.
“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 encouraged our people who were displaced to return to Bissaula.
“Unfortunately, Ndaka militiamen struck again on March 16 and killed three mobile policemen who were deployed to restore normalcy and their service rifles were taken away.
“We condemn these attacks and killing of the three policemen and our people by Ndaka militias and 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,” he added.
The youth leader expressed hope that the commission would unravel the cause of the crisis and proffer a lasting solution.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Usman Abdullahi, confirmed the killing of the three policemen, adding that they were overpowered by yet-to-be-identified gunmen in Bissaula.
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