Nyuwar-Jessu Attacks: Gombe Governor visits affected communities ,imposes curfew 

The Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has visited Nyuwar and Jessu communities in Balanga Local Government Area of the state, following attacks on the communities.

Governor Yahaya ,after assessing the situation of the communities, said he felt saddened by the level of damage that he saw because he gathered that about 15 people lost their lives during the attack in both Nuwar and Jessu.

He said what had happened was unacceptable.

Governor Yahaya said he had declared curfew in the affected communities to allow security personnel restore peace and calm to the communities, saying perpetrators of the violence would be brought to book. See Photos below:

He further assured the communities of their safety and appalled against reprisal attacks.

The Gombe State Governor also ordered security operatives, led by the newly posted Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ishola Babatunde Babaita, to prevent further attacks on the communities.

Governor Yahaya gave assurances to the affected persons and communities of relief materials to cushion the effect of the attacks on them, such as food and clothing.

In the meantime, the Commissioner of Police told journalists that enough security had been deployed to the areas to ensure that further attacks on the communities were prevented.

The Representative of Nyuwar, Mr. Yohanna Galmaka, appealed to Governor Yahaya to protect their people from further attacks, because so far many had been displaced and had relocated from the communities to.

Mr. Galmaka alleged that the attacks were perpetrated by the Waja-speaking people, despite their living together for years.

He allegedly said they were attacked by the Waja people from neighbouring Waja communities in Gombe State from 9 pm on Monday till Tuesday afternoon, April 13, 2021.

“We have been living together here for years both the Lunguda and the Waja people and we are from this same Gombe state but what we saw yesterday was horrible,” Mr. Galmaka said.

Some members of the communities who expressed themselves before the governor and his entourage, pleaded with him to intervene because their homes and foodstuffs had been burnt down, while  they have been left unprotected from the attackers.

It will be recalled that the attacks and counter-attacks between the Lunguda and Waja Speaking tribes had been recurring in recent times.

Last year, stakeholders from both tribes from Abuja, including two former Deputy Governors from both tribes, went round both paramount rulers of the tribes in Adamawa State and Gombe States, who tried to mediate for the return of peace amongst them.

They said for  centuries, the two tribes had been living together, with intermarriages taking place between them.

Ime N