By Gabriel Yough
Gov. Darius Ishaku of Taraba on Thursday called for the deployment of special security forces in the state to root out regrouping Boko Haram insurgents and other terrorists in the state.
Ishaku made the call when the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 82 Army Division Enugu, Major Gen. Adamu Abubakar, paid him a courtesy visit in Jalingo.
The governor said that the terrorists, who were chased away from the Sambisa forest in Borno by the military were regrouping in the forests of Suntai Daaji.
The Suntai Daaji forest, he said, cut across Bali and Donga local government areas and the Gashaka/Gumti national park.
“The massive influx of people into Taraba for some time now has been the major cause of insecurity.
“But when I was warning of the repercussions, I was accused of been against visitors, but today all of us are victims of their criminal activities.
“The terrorists are today committing all sorts of criminal activities, including rape, kidnapping and killings.
“People can’t travel freely on Bali-Suntai-Takum road among several other routes any longer in the state,”he said.
Ishaku also suggested ranching as the best and easier way out of the bloody clashes between farmers and grazers as well as cattle rustling.
“The population of Nigeria at independence and now is not the same and we must think and look inward to solve these problems associated with open grazing,”he said.
Earlier, the GOC said he was in the state to address the issue of farmers/herdsmen clashes and the general security situation in the state.
Abubakar called for dialogue among parties and active collaboration among the security agencies to end the security challenges facing the state.
He called on the governor to grant amnesty to criminals with timeline to mop up illegal arms in the state.
While lauding the governor for the steps taken to improve security in the state, the GOC also suggested the setting up of a special security committee to work at the grassroots with traditional rulers.
He noted that any traditional ruler that compromised security in his domain should be removed as a way of strengthening the peace bond.
He called on warring parties in the latest clashes that affected Bali, Takum, Ussa and Kurmi, to eschew violence and embrace peace.
