A strong Vigilante group supported by the Taraba State Government has killed three suspected bandits in Sansani Chiefdom of Gassol Local Government.
The Vigilante in an operation to flush out bandits in Gassol and Bali Local Governments which Commence the operation since early last year arrested and executed two ‘Bokolo’ Fulani, identified as Shehu Alhaji Umaru and his brother Debbu Alhaji Umaru at their settlement at Kauyen Sa’idu Village area on the midnight of Saturday as well as Alhaji Mustafa Adamu popularly known as Sarkin Shanu in Sansani town on Sunday morning for their alleged involvement in banditry, Kidnapping and Armed robbery.
The Vigilante who arrived Sansani at about 11pm on Saturday night camped at Sansani Primary School for two days without informing the Jankada of Sansani Chiefdom Abdulmutallib Nuhu Muhammed Bello and not talked to any of the Village or Ward heads in the Chiefdom.
Speaking to maidawaarewa reporter in Jalingo Abdulmutallib, the Jankada of Sansani Chiefdom said “During their two days stay at Sansani Primary School non of them came to me so I am not in anyway in the picture of their operations what I only know is that Last year traditional rulers in Gassol and Bali Local Governments were summoned for a meeting with His Excellency the Executive Governor of Taraba State Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku where we were mandated to form a strong Vigilante group to fight the menace of all types of criminalities in the two Local Governments to flush out bandits in the communities the operation started since last year”.
Abdulmutallib also said “in August last year, the same Vigilante who has the mandate of the State Government entered Gwiwan Kogi, one of the Village areas in Sansani Chiefdom and killed two Bokolo Fulani suspected bandits without coming to me or sending anyone to inform me, but when I learned of the operation I sent the leader of the Vigilante group in Sansani Chiefdom, Bala Inusa who was later killed by bandits to go and tell the Vigilante to leave my Chiefdom but before he arrived the Bokolo settlement and the Vigilante had already left but he met them on the way at kufayi and told them my message.”
The Jankada said to his astonishment “when the Stakeholders Peace Committee in Gassol one Constituency headed by Senator Dahiru Bako heard of my message to the Vigilante they called me for a meeting in the house of the Senator in Jalingo and accused me of hiding bandits in my domain by showing my anger that the Vigilante entered my domain and carried out operation without my knowledge” “That’s why when the second group of the Vigilante visited this time around and camped at Sansani Primary school without informing me I decided to keep mute so that I Will not be accused again for any wrong doing as they carried out their operation for two days and left Sansani on monday”.
He said, however, the leaders of the Vigilante headed by one Riga and Julde came to his palace on Monday morning after completing their operation and were about to depart and asked him to gather his subjects because they learned that the people were grumbling about their operation and the killing of the the three suspected bandits for them to explain to them and I called my Village and Ward heads, the relations of the executed suspects and his subjects who came in their numbers.
“The Commander of the Vigilante explained to the gathering why they arrested and executed the trio that they carried out similar operations in seven locations in Gassol and Bali Local Governments and the three persons were mentioned as part of the gang of bandits operating in the two Local Governments and they investigated them thoroughly and confirmed their involvement in most of the bandits operation in that axis that’s why they arrested and killed them As they are required to do when they investigated and confirmed the involvement of any person in any act of banditry in the two Local Governments which have been going on since last year”.
“I am wholeheartedly saying that I don’t know anything about this operation as far as I am concerned the Vigilante is being supported by the State Government and I cannot dabble on anything that is supported by the Government that I am serving for the peaceful coexistence of the people of my Chiefdom and Taraba State and to avoid further accusations from any quarter”. the Jankada reiterated.
