Wole Ayodele in Jalingo
Taraba State Government has raised the alarm that cattle rustlers from Cameroon have invaded communities in two local government areas of the state.
The rustlers, according to the Taraba State Government, have been launching serious onslaughts on farming communities in Bali and Gassol local government areas thereby heightening tension in the affected areas.
Briefing journalists in Jalingo yesterday, the state Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Lois Emmanuel, dismissed allegations in certain quarters that the crisis in the areas are ethno-religious in nature.
According to her, “Government findings on the crisis in Bali and Gaasol indicates that the problem is cattle rustling. Further information indicates that cattle rustlers from neighbouring Cameroon have invaded several communities in the areas and are threatening lives and properties especially cattle belonging to indigenous inhabitants.
“The activities of the marauders have heightened tension and local inhabitants are at the receiving end of the marauders’ onslaught. This development, naturally, has attracted resistance from the local inhabitants. It is, therefore, not an inter-ethnic or intra ethnic rivalry and clashes.”
Noting the importance of the two local government areas to the economic survival of the state, she stated that they are among the most naturally endowed parts of Taraba State, especially in agricultural produce.
“For this reason and more, they have been a natural attraction to foreigners and other Nigerians seeking comfort and career in farming and other business activities.
“Criminals and social misfits are not left out in the rush to these communities for economic self-sustenance. In their own case, they frequently exceed or outrightly abuse the boundaries of hospitality and accommodation offered by the indigenous people.”
She further disclosed that internally displaced persons’ camps have not been spared by the marauders who sometimes kill, maim and rape women.
However, she maintained that the attempt by the indigenous people to checkmate these trends is largely part of the issues currently at stake in the areas adding that government’s efforts at checkmating criminal activities has been wholesome to ensure innocent people are not affected.
According to her, “It is for this reason that the involvement of vigilantes in containing the activities of the criminals is under the strict surveillance of security agencies.
“They are never allowed to operate alone in order to prevent them from taking the laws into their own hands. This benevolence and civility will remain the emphasis and focus of government intervention now and in the future in these areas and the state in general.”
