Taraba: Clergy forum back Senator Bwacha’s call to stop influx of people

The clergy forum of Tiv extraction in Taraba state has backed the call by Senator Emmanuel Bwacha representing Taraba south in the National Assembly calling on security agencies to probe massive influx of people into state.

The forum, raising from an emergency meeting in Jalingo on the state of insecurity in Taraba condemned in strong terms cases of killings still going on in the state despite efforts by governor Darius Ishaku to return peace back to the state.

Bwacha had recently raised a point of order on the state of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Taraba State on the floor of the senate calling on security agencies to be on alert about an impending war in Taraba as people were being transported into the State from unknown destinations on a daily basis.

In a communique issued at end of an emergency meeting and signed by the forum interim chairman Rev. Fr. Simon Akuraga and secretary Pastor James Unongo, the clergymen observed with deep concern the prolonged crisis in the state and the humanitarian condition of the IDPs who were forced out of their homes since 2014.

“There is widespread hunger and starvation in our State-Taraba as a result of this crisis. Many of our people have been killed, maimed and displaced. Many of the displaced persons today roam the streets like lunatics, while others are living under sub-human conditions.

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“More worrisome today is that pieces of land belonging to our people are been confiscated and in most cases given to strange people who are coming into the State as recently observed by Senator Emmanuel Bwacha on the floor of the senate.

“This widespread misery and agony the people are suffering is not God’s design for his people, but inordinate desires of some people or group of persons to achieve their selfish objective,” part of the communique read.

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While calling on security agencies to investigate and flush out those coming into the state and settling on displaced persons’ land, the forum urged all warring factions in the state to give peace a chance to enable governor Ishaku bring development to the state even as they reaffirmed their readiness to collaborate with government, security agencies, traditional institutions in the peace process.

“Governor Ishaku should deploy more security personnel to the affected areas to ensure safe return of Tarabans who fled their homes. We also urge him to put in place a comprehensive action plan to ensure resettlement, reconciliation and rehabilitation of all those who fled their homes in the Central and Southern parts of the State,” the forum said.