Stakeholders want southern Taraba road secured

Concerned stakeholders, including community, religious leaders, and politicians, have called on the Taraba State government and security agencies to urgently secure the Takum-Wukari Road, which they described as a killing field.

The stakeholders reported that over the years, hundreds of people have been killed and many others kidnapped by criminal elements operating along the road both day and night, appealing for immediate action to ensure safety and security for travellers.

Hosea Williams, a community leader, while highlighting the economic importance of the Takum-Wukari Road to Southern Taraba, stressed that the road’s current state of insecurity poses a significant threat to the region’s economic stability.

Elder John Mamman, Chairman of the Taraba State Civil Service Commission, expressed deep concern over the frequent killings of travellers along the road. He noted that the fatalities have included clergy, Muslim clerics, and women. He recalled the recent tragic memory of the murder of the Chief of Chanchangi and his son, as well as the recent killing of six passengers, including a university lecturer and a deputy registrar from the Taraba State School of Health Technology, Takum.

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The Hausa community in Takum, represented by Alhaji Mai Wanda, said many Hausa community members have been victims of kidnappings and killings over the years.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mark Useni, the member representing Takum, Ussa, and Donga Federal Constituency, has condemned the barbaric acts of killings on the road.

Mr. Useni criticised the criminal elements’ strategy of targeting local farmers for ransom, which exacerbates food insecurity in the region. 

He called for increased local intelligence and vigilance from communities along the Taraba-Benue border to support security agencies in protecting the area. He also urged a stronger collaboration between the Taraba and Benue State governments to address the problem comprehensively.