Tangale Chiefdom: Gombe Security Council meets to forestall reprisal attacks

An enlarged Gombe State Security Council has engaged religious groups and other stakeholders as proactive measures to avert reprisal attacks on churches across the state.

This was part of the resolutions reached by the security meeting, with directives to Chairmen of Local Government Councils to put churches under security surveillance to forestall likely attacks by some unscrupulous elements.

The Security meeting presided over by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya was convened to avert further spread of violence due to the severity of the Friday attacks on buildings and businesses in Billiri, Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State, which the council believes had religious and political undertones.

It will be recalled that the peaceful protest by the people of the Tangale Chiefdom over the replacement of the Late Mai Tangle, Abdu Buba Mai Sharu II turned violent as some people hijacked the protest by burning down and destroying shops, worship places and private property, which led to the death of four people.

The Security Council expressed sadness over the senseless killings and destruction of people’s property, which it believes was caused by the spread of fake news, especially through social media.

According to the Security Council, security agencies should fish out those spreading fake news for prosecution, because they were trying to create a scenario of situations that were never there.

Reading out the resolutions of the council to journalists in Gombe, the Commissioner of Internal Security and Ethical Orientation, Mr Dauda Batari Zambuk said 16 people had so far been arrested in connection with the attacks, out of which 15 would be arraigned before a court of law and the 16th suspect, security personnel, was under further investigation.

“Security personnel were already on the trail of the suspected masterminds of the mayhem,” Mr Zambuk said.

He said the government was going to set up an assessment team that would determine the persons affected, properties destroyed and lives lost with a view to offering support to the victims.

“Government will set up a panel of inquiry to get to the remote and immediate causes of the incident to avert future occurrence. The Council consoles the families of the deceased and prays for the quick recovery of the injured and those who lost property that God will replenish them,” The Commissioner added.

He expressed the condolences of the Security Council to the families of the deceased and prayed for the quick recovery of the injured and the replacement property for those affected.

Zainab Sa’id