The Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, on Wednesday disclosed that
264 persons were confirmed to have been killed and property worth
billions of naira destroyed during the 2017/2018 crisis on the Mambilla
Plateau, Sadauna Local Government Area of the State.
Ishaku, who regretted the casualty figure, however, said: “The
Assessment Committee which visited 53 communities in the area,
discovered that 264 people were killed and not the over 1000 as reported
by the media.”
He added that “209 residents were displaced, 19,464 cattle, 6071
sheep killed while a tea processing plant, among other valuable
properties were burnt.”
The Governor gave the sum of N310 million to the victims. Relief materials were also donated to alleviate their sufferings.
“I am not here to compensate the victims of the crisis that occurred
here on Mambila Plateau. Government does not have enough to compensate
you on how much you lost, left alone the number of human beings that
were killed.
“I am here to support you so that you can start living relatively
better; to also encourage you to co-exist in harmony,” he said.
The Governor warned the people of Mambilla and Tarabans to “exercise
restraint”, as he urged all to be law abiding and to always consult
traditional rulers when there is confusion.
Ishaku also called on people of the area to reciprocate the good
gesture offered to them by people of Cameroon when they hosted them
during their difficulties, by accommodating them now that they (Cameroon
citizens) are seeking refuge in Nigeria.