Looting: TSHA Speaker impels traditional, religious leaders to intervene
By Christiana Babayo
The Speaker, Taraba State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Joseph Albasu Kunini has urged traditional and religious leaders in the state to intensify efforts in calming the teeming youths under their care so as to avoid a repeat of the the ugly incidents of mass looting of public and private properties in the last couple of days.
He made the call on Thursday while addressing the clergy and other people at the Catholic pastoral centre in Jalingo.
Kunini noted that the incidents witnessed in the state was not only unacceptable but completely uncalled for, seeing that the government was already working hard to address the issues presented by the youth during the protest.
“I understand that the youth had issues and they presented these issues to the government in a protest. I am aware that the state government had promised to address the issues and was already working to set up a committee that would look into the issues and proffer solutions but before we knew it, the youth literally took up arms against the government” he said
The Speaker also stated that the level of damage done to both private and public property is simply unquantifiable.
“Now, should the government address the challenges they presented or listen to the cries of the people whose property and means of livelihood they vandalized”? He asked
On the way forward, Kunini advised that all hands must be on deck seeing that the damage has already been done. In his words,
“Let me therefore use this opportunity to call on religious and traditional leaders to join hands in addressing the youth to avoid further occurrences. The families must be able to teach their children the life long virtues of tolerance, patience and respect for constituted authorities. Ours is an organized society and not a community of outlaws operating in a lawless territory. We must not allow ourselves to degenerate to a state of anarchy”
Our correspondent recalled that few days ago, the youth broke into government and private warehouses, establishments and offices in Jalingo to loot properties which caused wanton destruction that is estimated at over a billion Naira already as the full extent of the damage has not been determined yet.
