The Taraba State Commissioner for Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Habu James Phillip, has urged all the Tiv leaders in the area to fish out those behind the killings of travellers and hand them over to security agencies for prosecution.
The commissioner described the attack on travellers on the Wukari-Tsokundu road by the acclaimed Tiv militia as disgraceful and highly condemnable.
Habu, who is the political leader of the Tiv in the state, stated that those behind the attack are criminals and agents of destabilisation, who do not have the interest of the area at heart.
“Three people, including a woman were killed in the attack that occurred at about 5 p.m, while two other persons sustained serious injuries and are presently receiving treatment at the Federal University of Wukari Teaching Hospital, Wukari.”
He noted that the state Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, is doing everything humanly possible to unite all the tribes in the state in his determination to bring peace and development to the state, saying all hands must be on deck to ensure the governor realises his objective.
Habu, however, expressed disappointment over the failure of the President-General of the Tiv Cultural Association in the state, James Baka, to condemn the killings, and therefore called on him to resign his position.
According to him, “It is very disappointing that the President-General Baka has remained silent over this highly condemnable incident, and I demand that he resign his position.
“When some Tiv travellers were attacked and killed by Ichen militia last month, Governor Kefas was the first to condemn the killings and called for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators. That is how a leader should act.”
He, however, appealed to all the conflicting tribes in the state to embrace peace and learn to live harmoniously, particularly considering the efforts being made by the governor to unite the state through inclusiveness and even distribution of projects and appointments.