Monarch links Taraba killings to Benue’s criminal elements, urges action

The first-class traditional ruler of Takum, Sopiya Ahmadu Gboshi lll, has alleged that the majority of the criminal activities in the council were being carried out by elements from the neighbouring Katsina-Ala council area of Benue State.

The monarch, who the allegation yesterday in a statement, urged calm and restraint from citizens against the backdrop of recent killings in the area.He said the government and stakeholders were working hard to unravel the identities of the perpetrators and bring them to book.

“These criminal activities are mostly perpetrated within and by criminal elements from the neighbouring local government areas, especially Katsina-Ala local government council of Benue State,” the traditional ruler claimed.

Expressing his resolve to continue to work with the government and security agencies to bring an end to the killings in the area, Gboshi cautioned against any form of reprisals.

The paramount ruler, who noted with disdain that the killings had been unwarranted and dastardly, commended Governor Agbu Kefas for the result-oriented security measures being implemented in the area. He, however, enjoined the government to scale up the operations and deployment of security agencies due to the daring nature of the attackers.

The monarch charged his subjects and the entire people of the state to always report any suspicious characters or acts to security agencies for prompt action.

Recall that six passengers travelling along the Takum-Wukari road, were on Monday morning, murdered in Takum by yet-to-be-identified gunmen. He lamented that the sad incidents were happening when the memory of the gruesome killing of the third-class chief of Chanchanji and his son was still fresh in the minds of the people.