Waja-Lunguda Crisis: Gov Inuwa Visits Warring Balanga South Communities

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  • Cautions against reprisal attacks
  • Vows to sanction perpetrators
  • Beefs up security in affected Areas
  • Orders delivery of relief materials to victims

BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, GOMBE – Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has vowed to deal mercilessly with key actors promoting the communal crisis rocking some communities in Balanga Local Government area of the state.

According to him, the state government will leave no stone unturned to ensure perpetrators of the heinous crime are arrested and prosecuted.

This is as he also promised speedy provision and delivery of relief materials by the State government to aid victims of the crisis and cushion their miseries

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Governor Inuwa spoke when led heads of security agencies and top government functionaries on an official visit to Nyuwar, Jessu and Yolde communities of Balanga LGA where lives were lost and property worth millions of Naira destroyed due to the communal clash between Waja and Lunguda ethnic groups.

On arrival at the affected communities of Nyuwar and Jessu, the governor, who interacted with Community leaders and youths to unearth the immediate and remote causes of the crisis, symphatized with them with assurances of their safety going forward.

He pledged that his administration will not fold its arm to allow criminal elements unleash such mayhem on innocent citizens.

“As you can see I am leading all heads of security agencies in Gombe state to your community just to show you how committed the government is in ensuring that this crisis is brought to an end.

“I want to inform you that one of the measures we have taken was to impose a curfew to check movements of everyone and we have deployed security personnel to protect you and your property until normalcy is restored.”

“Let me extend my heartfelt condolences to you over the loss of precious lives and property as a result of this senseless act. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and as a responsible Government we are conscious of our responsibilities of safeguarding the lives and property of our people.”

Further amplifying his confidence-building message to residents of affected communities, Governor Inuwa promised that security personnel from the Nigerian Police, Army, Civil Defence Corps and DSS will work closely with them to identify and bring to book all actors involved in the crisis.

Urging the affected communities to cooperate with the government and security agencies, Governor Yahaya, who defied the difficult terrain of the mountainous Balanga south, said he was personally in the area to see things for himself and fairly assess damages done.

He said the visit would help the government on-the-spot assessment in order to decisively engage measures aimed at averting recurrence of such crisis.

At Nyuwar, the district head’s representative, Mr Yohanna Istifanus narrated how his community was invaded by attackers late in the night to destroy, maim and kill innocent people.

“We were asleep with our families in our homes only to have seen an armed militia with various kinds of dangerous weapons setting our houses and food storage facilities ablaze and asking us to vacate from the land else they will wipe the entire Lunguda tribal communities.

“The attack claimed eight lives because our people were caught off guards and the attackers threatened to return with the expectation of having a field day like they did earlier. But with the Governor’s presence and prompt intervention in deploying of security agencies, we feel happy and pray the law will take its course on the perpetrators”, Istifanus said.

At Jessu, a community leader, Mr Jason Jase, while conducting the Governor round, said they lost seven persons in the community and several houses and food storage facilities were destroyed by the invaders.

The community leaders thanked Governor Inuwa Yahaya for his timely intervention, noting that it will go a long way in checking the crisis and instilling confidence in the people.

In the governor’s entourage were Deputy Governor, Manassah Daniel Jatau; Secretary to the state Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi; Commissioner of Internal Security; his Water Resources counterpart; Commissioner of Police; Director, State Security Service; Commander 301 Artillery Regiment; and Chairman of Balanga Local Government among other Government functionaries and security personnel.

Traditional ruler of Nyuwar briefing Gov Inuwa

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