Residents of Taraba have continued to express their disappointment over the long silence of the Taraba state governor Darius Dickson Ishaku, following the murder of a staff member and some students of the Federal University Wukari.
The killings came at the peak of the four-month-old crisis between the Tivs and Jukuns of Wukari, Donga and Takun that claimed many lives as well as the destruction of farms.
A Tiv staff and some students of the University were said to have been ambushed and killed by suspected Jukun youth.
The situation sparked a heavy protest on Tuesday by Tiv students who demanded justice. The Jukun students, however, staged a counter-protest on the same day.
Consequently, on Wednesday, the university management announced the closure of the institution indefinitely.
This was contained in a statement by the Registrar, Magaji Gangumi in Wukari which was made available to BusinessDay.
The statement noted that the suspension became imperative following protest by students over the incident.
“The vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Wukari has approved the suspension of lectures and closure of the institution until further notice.
“This follows the protest by students over the kidnapping of their mates along Wukari -Katsina Ala high way on Tuesday.
“Students are directed to vacate the hostels and the university premises by or before 12: noon on Wednesday,” it stated.
When BusinessDay correspondent visited the institution located along Wukari Jalingo high way, trailers belonging to Dangote cement, Benue Links buses and private cars were seen in numbers conveying students to their states while others were standing stranded.
Commenting on the issue a resident of Wukari who did not want her name in print expressed disappointment over the long Silence of the governor. She said the Tiv Jukun crisis has lingered for over three months wondering why the crisis will be extended to the Federal University that is training the students to be leaders of tomorrow.
She called on the government as a matter of urgency to provide the necessary logistics to the security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book.
Similarly Ismaila Isa, who lives in Jalingo the state capital said: “We have taken our case to God because the government can no longer protect us”.
“When the herdsmen attacked Kona villages, the governor was quick to condemn the attacks but why is he silence over that of Wukari ? this is 48 hours running no comment from him or any of his Aids” Isa lamented.
While the Police Public Relations Officer PPRO Taraba state command David Misal, said the command has deployed its men to the trouble areas the governor of the state Darius Dickson Ishaku believes that it is the establishment of state police that can avert the lingering crisis.
Two months ago at the retreat for the then house of assembly members-elect, the governor said: “The governors are toothless bulldogs, with the police under my control I would have stopped that rubish”.
The Jukun/Tiv crisis which started since April 1, 2019, in Kente village has lingered till today leaving thousands of people In IDPs camp.
At the time of filing this report, the governor was not in the state and yet to make an official statement regarding the Killings.
