Community leaders debunk extortion allegations against monarch in Taraba
By Gaius Jeff, Jalingo
Community leaders of Bisibi Community in Jibu ward, Wukari Local Government Area, Taraba State, have debunked the allegations circulating on social media platforms that the chief of Jibu, Yakubu Tafifa, has being extorting resident of the area by registering returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) with huge amount and forcing them to present some bags of their farm produce before they were granted permission to resettled and farm in their areas
A press statement signed by the leaders and endorsed by the chairman, Tiv Cultural and Social Association TCSA, Wukari LGA Chapter, Mr Aondowase Tar, described the allegations as fake, mischievous and baseless rumour carried by enemies of Tiv Community who are bend to once again, disrupt the relative peace that is gradually being restored in the area
The leaders also called on the appropriate authorities to take decisive action against those paddling such disruptive rumour so as to prevent further acrimony and mistrust among people of the already volatile area
“We are shocked by such calculated move by our enemies. This baseless and mischievous allegations must have being initiated by people who wants to achieve their nefarious aim of ensuring that we did not return to our areas, otherwise there is nothing of that kind that is existing in this area
“We disassociate ourselves with such evil plan and we want our Chief to disregard the fake and baseless information and continue with the good work of restoring peace in the area as he has being doing”. The statement reads in part
Recall that in the recent time, some persons have gone to various social media platforms, alleging that the Chief of Jibu, Yakubu Tafida has being using the name of His Royal Majesty, Aku-Uka of Wukari and the governor of Taraba State, Dr Agbu Kefas, to collect 5,000 naira to each of the returning IDPs in the name of registration and forcing them to present some bags of their farm produce before they were granted permission to settle and farm in their areas
But the community leaders, comprising of Zaki Msughter Uzorgirgi, Zaki Oliver Nomsule Akaaze, Zaki Uke Amee, Zaki Achive Shichia, Zaki Mathew Stephen, Isaac Yongul, Daniel Tyom, David Kulega and Ainge Mkav, led by the chairman, Tiv Cultural and Social Association TCSA, Wukari LGA Chapter, Mr Aondowase Tar, have debunked the allegations, describing it as mischievous.
