Killings in Taraba over election tribunal verdict

Sunday, November 8, 2015 3:34 pm

Ishaku and Aisha Jummai Alhassan

Some killings have been reported in the usually violence-prone Wukari, 200 kilometres from Jalingo, the capital of Taraba state.

According to reports, six persons were killed overnight by suspected militiamen of the ethnic Jukun group, who who were chanting “to hell with tribunal ruling; to hell with Aisha, We will kill you all”.

On Saturday in Abuja, the Election Tribunal sacked Governor Darius Ishaku and recognised Senator Jummai Aisha Alhassan, as the duly elected governor of the state.

Ishaku comes from the Wukari area.

According to reports by Daily Trust, a resident of Wukari, Alhaji Ladan said they were awakened by gunfire at about 1 a.m Sunday.

He said the attackers invaded their quarters firing and burning houses with no help from security agents even though they sent distress calls to soldiers and other security agencies in the town.

Alhaji Ladan alleged that the soldiers who were supposed to come to their rescue were aiding the attackers in killing and burning their houses.

“We were awakened by gun fire from four directions into our area and the attackers chanting to hell with tribunal ruling, to hell with Aisha, We will kill you all” Ladan said.

He further stated that the Jalingo police command was yet to send its men to the area.

The state chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Alhaji Hassan Ardo said they had written to the state police commissioner over the planned attach in Wukari weeks ago and no action was taken.

He alleged that reports he received from Wukari revealed that there were fake soldiers in the area killing people.