Crisis in the Mambilla not genocide, says Taraba govt

The Taraba State government has said that the recent crisis in the Mambilla Plateau in Sardauna Local Government Area was not genocide.

The government said in a press release signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Governor Darius Ishaku, Mr Bala Dan Abu, that the front page comment of Daily Trust of July 3rd captioned, ‘Genocide in Mambilla,’ was misleading.

The release further stated that it was also wrong and unethical for Daily Trust to rely on the ‘reckless, highly partisan and distorted account’ of  the crisis by  Brig General Banjamin Ahanotu in its editorial comment.

Dan Abu said it was clear that General Ahanato was ‘in a mission to satisfy some vested interest in the crisis which also coincided with the interest   being served by Daily Trust.’

“General Ahatona spoke in places and in a manner unexpected and unbecoming of an officer of his rank and training,’’ Dan Abu said, adding, “The Taraba State Government rejects in its entirety the deliberate and callous attempt by unpatriotic elements to tag the Mambilla crisis as genocide.’

Dan Abu said the Mambilla crisis was an unfortunate clash of people who had lived together for decades as neighbours, adding, “The crisis is unfortunate and it has been condemned as wrong by respectable voices from around the country.’’ 

He  said the state government had since deployed men and materials to the affected areas to give succor and quicken the healing process.