Easter Salifu
The Chairman of Taraba State Tiv Traditional Council, Zaki David Gbaa, has expressed confidence that the identities of the suspected herdsmen that attacked a farming community and killed six person would be revealed since all of them live in the community.
Gbaa said the attackers would be arrested by security agencies and prosecuted.
The attacked occurred on Sunday targeted Mararaban Azagwa and Alele villages all of Maihula in the Bali Local Government Area of the state..
Confirming the incident, the Tiv leader said six people were killed and four others are in critical conditions in the hospital.
He disclosed this while briefing journalists in Bali on the development.
According to to the chairman, those killed include; Aondohemba Salemkaan, Tersuugh Dondo, Terkuma Mbatim, Kumaga Ujam Asaaga Nev and Tersoo Memga.
A resident of the area, Isah Abdul, told PUNCH on Monday how it all started, according to him a man who was drunk and high on drugs he took at Maihula market was found dead on his way home.
“It is an unfortunate development. The relatives of the deceased, who later recovered his corpse, accused the Tiv villagers where the man died of being responsible for the death of their brother.
“There was nothing actually to point to the fact that the man was killed. He might have probably died from complications arising from the alcohol and the drugs he took.
“But his relatives, who suspected that he was killed by the Tiv villagers, mobilised and started attacking and killing people,” Abdul said.
However the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Gambo Kwache, confirmed that security operatives were combing the area in search of the attackers.
