By Ehi Ekhator
Unknown gunmen attacked Gidin-Doruwa village in Wukari Local Government Area, Taraba State killing no fewer than `15 persons on Easter Sunday.
According to some residences, over 52 houses were destroyed including that of the Daily Independent’s reporter, Janet Audu’s family house in Jalingo.
The gunmen struck barely 24 hours the Acting Governor Garba Umar visited Wukari and pleaded with everyone for peace.
An eyewitnesses who narrated the incident said gunmen opened fire on the town at about 1.30 on Sunday as Christians were still celebrating the Night of Life to commemorate the resurrection of Christ.
Out of fear, the confused and scared residents began to run and the gunmen burn their houses and churches etc.
Out of anger, the youth in the area started destroying some mosques when they saw the CRCN church caught fire.
According to the residents who flee during the attack, the attackers came from all corners and cordoned the town before they started shooting without provocation. The gun fire continued till yesterday evening.
The presence of the policemen and soldiers who were deployed to the community did not stop the gunmen who came in large number carrying sophisticated weapons.
A resident said that the situation was so bad that some of the security men may have decided to retreat.
The Police spokesman Assistant Superintendant of Police, (ASP) Joseph Kwaji confirmed that the presence of the riot policemen sent from the state command could not stop the shooting and they had to reinforce from Mopol 34 Squadron, Gombe and 14 Squadron, Adamawa State.
the Superintendent told our correspondent (not NAIJA CENTER NEWS) that he was expecting the report on the casualty figures from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO).
He said “I am trying to get detailed information from the DPO. We are aware that a village in Wukari has been attacked, but I can’t precisely tell the media the number of casualties, the injured and houses burnt now.
“Today’s (yesterday’s) attack and killings were carried out by unknown gunmen,” he said.
The Divisional Secretary of the Red Cross Society of Nigeria, Lucky Navokhi, was also not certain about the casualty figure and other fatalities.
“Hostilities are still on so we don’t have accurate information to make public now,” he said.
The Acting Governor of Taraba State, Umar Garba referred the killings as unfortunate, barbaric and unacceptable.
He said this through his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Aaron Atimas,. Umar promised that government would do everything possible to make sure that the lives and properties of the citizens are protected.
He said “The perpetrators of the crisis must be brought to book. Government cannot fold her arms and watch her citizens die in the hands of heartless people,” Umar said and appealed to the people to be calm.
Speaking on the issue, Commissioner for Information, Atte Sale Kundu expressed sadness that despite the move by the Acting Governor to appeal to the people to embrace peace, the crisis was still far from over.
He said: “We don’t know where the problem is coming from,”
The crisis in Taraba started from Ibi, Cassol and Takum local government areas and now hot in Wukari. It was reported that 24 persons were killed last week, 34 injured while 99 houses were destroyed.
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New attack: Gunmen kill 15 in Wukari, Taraba State
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