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Herders Kill over 100, Sack 59 Taraba Villages in 12 Months
From Nicholas Dekera, Kaduna
No fever than 100 persons have been massacred in Takum, Ussa LGAs and Yangtu Special Development Area of Taraba State within 12 months by gunmen allegedly identify as herders and 59 village settlements sacked by the marauding herders.
President General, Kuteb World Wide, Emmanuel Ukwen, who spoke yesterday, on the wave of attacks on Kuteb Communities of Takum, Ussa and Yangtu and the latest attack on Tuesday,which claimed three lives lamented the wanton killings of innocent people and destruction of properties worth hundreds of millions of naira.
According to Ukwen, the “killings became pronounced in the past few months as over 100persons have been killed within 12months, the latest being the attacked of Tuesday where three people were butchered to death by the Herders.
” The Killings began when a suspected Herder took his cattle into one of our brother’s farm, our brother accosted the herder who in turn drew out his matchet and attacked him.
“Our brother died as we were taking him to the hospital. Since then, the herders have been attacking from one village to the other. As we speak, at least 59 villages have been sacked,” Ukwen revealed.
Investigations revealed that the following villages have come under heavy attacks with many villagers loosing their lives and property–Tati, Fawen Simta, Bassan, Muji 1, Muji 2, Tukog
, Tati, Kumbo,Ucha, Nyido, Rimamnyang nyido, Kwentam 1 Lagos, Kwentam, Rimamndeyati, Alaha, Kpambo puri, Ripaenchin, Urerimam, Kpamshibe, Pangtso, Rubur Nyim (Jenuwa Kogi), Rikwenboi (Kwari), Acha Nyim, Sati Tsingnya, Rikwentwen, Rikwenmbakun
Fikyu Nyim, Fikyu Ndukwe,Rikwentumum
,Kando, Kijwaen, Kongkaen, Sik and Kakum
Ukwen also stated that villages like Mbiya 1, Mbiya 2, Tamiya, Rikumcwo, Waeshong Rufu, Lumpa, Mbiya, Kabsi, Bura, Jwunyim, Waesi, Shienda (Kpambo yashe) have been sacked.
Others also hit by the wave of ruthless invasion are Acha sabka, Mzunki, Jenuwa rikya, Jenuwa nyifiye, Jenuwa ribasi, Jenuwa ruwa, Rukur, Urerimam, Utobrimam,Titih, Kutika, Fangta, Paenko and Fukrum.
One of the villagers who survived the attack in Bura, Takum local Government but pleaded anonymity alleged that “the gunmen usually come in the night in their numbers armed with dangerous weapons. There is an army barrack here in Takum but it seems they have been overwhelmed. The IDP camps have been displaced. As I speak with you now there is no IDP camps in Takum, the gunmen have invaded and scattered all of them.”
Confirming the situation in Takum and other places, the Taraba State Police Public Relations Officer, Usman Abdullahi maintained that “there is security challenge in Takum but the Commissioner of Police is on top of the matter as our men have been mobilize to the affected areas.”
The PPRO however, insisted that the police was never overwhelmed and that there are “no IDP camps in Takum because most of the affected persons are farmers who left IDP camps for their farms and not that they were attacked by gunmen.”
The PPRO Abdullahi had earlier confirmed the three deaths in the Tuesday attack in Kunkwa village of Yangtu Special Development Area.
The victims, whose names were given as Rimamskep Atenji, Andekwab Ashasim and ElKannah Akyara, were reportedly killed by the bandits on their way to the farm.
Stakeholders in Takum, Ussa and Yangtu, who pleaded anonymity maintained that the Federal Government must redouble efforts via deployment of more troops to arrest the situation and ensure lasting peace.
The Nigerian Football Premier League (NPFL) has rescheduled the Day 3 Match of the league between Bendel Insurance FC of Benin and Shooting Stars FC of Ibadan to Oct 2.
The announcement is contained in a letter addressed to the chairmen and general managers of the clubs by the Chief Operating Officer of the league, Davidson Owumi.
The Benin Arsenal were to host the Oluyole Boys as the two clubs are fondly called by their fans, on Sunday.
The match, however, clashed with 2024 off-cycle governorship election in Edo, when vehicular movement is usually restricted. (NAN)
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) has shutdown Oracle Business Ltd, belonging to former Governor Samuel Ortom for allegedly owing taxes to the tune of N93.5m.
The premises of Jagshu and Ubgechi Filling Stations were also shutdown over alleged N2.
1m and N2.1m tax defaults respectively in Makurdi.The tax defaulters operation was carried out at the weekend by the Acting Executive Chairman of Benue Internal Revenue Service, Sunday Odagba in company of the Board’s Secretary/Legal Adviser, Ushahemba Dekaa
The action followed an order from a State High Court sitting in Makurdi which mandated the Board to enforce the consequences of the default.
The BIRS Legal Adviser, Ushahemba Dekaa told journalists after sealing the premises of Oracle Business Ltd that the company defaulted in its obligations for payment of taxes for six years, hence the clamp down.
According to him, the board has been monitoring the tax of the company all these while and the company keep on going back and forth in relation to payment which they failed to do.
He said the board equally organized several meetings and engagements with the companies, yet no compliance even when BIRS were using soft approach to ensure that they paid their taxes and levies but all to no avail.
On his part, the Group Managing Director of Oracle Business, Chris Omiyi argued that the company got letters of tax evaluation totalling N138m. “We sent our tax consultant to them and the liability dropped to N38million.
“Even that amount was spurious but because we are peace-loving we agreed to pay the N38million. But there is still a dispute of N15million which we are to resolve in the office. They fixed a date for the resolution, we got there the people we deal with were not on seat.
“The issue is that you said a company owes tax and we have started paying what you said we owe. Whatever that is in dispute we bring it forward and if it is overruled then we pay that which is in dispute because we have paid all others.”
In his remark the BIRS Acting Chairman, Sunday Odangba stated Oracle Business and other affected companies failed in their obligations.
He explained that the board on several occasions served them demand notices which they did not object and they did not pay.
The Management of the University of Jos has commenced the construction of a 10-lane Olympic Size Swimming Pool ahead of the upcoming National Universities Games Association (NUGA).
Prof. Tanko Ishaya, the Vice Chancellor of the University disclosed this on Monday while handing over the project site to Kaplan Consults Ltd.
and Caniyota Ltd. , the firms handling the project.The NUGA games, to be hosted by the university, is scheduled to hold between April and May 2025.
Ishaya, who explained that the project was being funded with Internally Generated Revenue, said that the swimming pool is one of the key facilities needed toward a successful NUGA games.
“Once this project is completed, all the necessary sporting facilities required for us to host the best NUGA games will be in place.
“I am calling on the contractors to carry out this job within the 16-week specified period; we need a quality job as well.
“We will expect briefing on weekly basis on the progress of work because we want this facility to be ready at least three months before the competition,” he said.
Earlier, Mrs Halima Auta, the university’s Director of Physical Facilities, explained that the swimming pool, a view pavilion and changing rooms would be handled by Kaplan Consult Ltd., while the training pool, all procurement and installations would be done by Caniyota Ltd.
Responding on behalf of the Contractors, Mr Kinsley Nathaniel of Kaplan Consults Ltd., promised to deploy the expertise needed to execute the project to an international standard. (NAN)
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