From Ben Adaji Jalingo
People of Bariki Lissa in Yukuben Community in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State have accused the state police command of extortion and undue harassment.
The community urged the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr Kayode Egbetokun to urgently set up an investigation panel into the matter.
Our correspondent reports that the problem started on December 12, 2024 when a group of persons from Gatati, a neighbouring village armed with dangerous weapons attacked the people of Barki Lissa all in Yukuben District, injured several persons and destroyed their property.
The people of Gatati, who were allegedly acting on the directive of Emmanuel Jalo Zobdi, attacked the people of Barki Lissa over chieftaincy and territorial control of the area.
During the attack, a deaf man identified as Ikpeasan Abaga and others, Kuru Adamu, Micah Lena, and Ikpe Bako from Bariki Lissa village were seriously injured.
The matter was reported to Takum Divisional Police Headquarters who swiftly arrested several of the attackers, while others fled across the border into the neighbouring Republic of Cameroon.
Those apprehended include Gambo Karma, Senior Gambo, Idi Yakubu, Alexander Moses, Habila Emmanuel and Bitrus Kaigama.
It was gathered that other suspected accomplices identified as Kayang Maigida, Sunday Danladi, Agyasa Alhassan, Godbless Megida and Moses Sokoto Kunga are still at large.
Those arrested were detained at Takum Divisional Police Headquarters.
It was gathered that while the police is preparing to charge the suspects to court, some prominent indigenes of the area including the Chief of Takum, Sopiya Ahmadu Gboshi, member representing Takum II in the state Assembly, John Lamba, Takum Local Council Chairman, John Ali Danjuma, and the Ward Councilor of Shibong, Japheth Zaure intervened and pleaded for out-of-court settlement for the sake of peace.
After the peace agreement, it was resolved that the attackers would take full responsibility for all the properties destroyed, including hospital bills of all those injured and pay compensation accordingly.
It was also gathered that the chief of Takum and other prominent indigenes of the area, including the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in Takum unanimously agreed that the suspected perpetrators should pay N1.2 million as cost of medical treatment and compensation for the properties destroyed.
The councillor representing Shibong Ward was mandated to collect the money for the treatment of the injured victims and effect the repairing of the properties damaged.
Surprisingly, few days after Zaure collected the money and handed it over to the victims, the perpetrators went to the police headquarters in Jalingo to lodge a fresh complaint that they were forced to pay N1.2 million to the victims and want their money back.
In a dramatic turn of events and a breach of police protocol, armed personnel from the state Criminal Investigation Department, CID, bypassed Takum Police Division, stormed Bariki Lissa village and forcefully arrested the ailing deaf and mute victim, along with the other victims and detained them at the state CID.
The councillor representing Shibong Ward, who was part of the initial peace agreement and other community leaders, were among those arrested and detained by the state CID.
It was gathered that officers at the CID insisted that the victims of the attack must refund the N1.2 million paid as medical expenses and damages by the attackers.
The police allegedly extorted N300,000 as bail money from the victims who were later released on bail pending the refund of the money.
According to investigation, the payment for bail was made through ASP Mure Audu Eric through cash and wire transfers—N100,000 in cash and N200,000 bank transfer via a transaction account number 0011825454 at Access Bank, registered in the name, Mure Audu Eric.
It was gathered that after releasing those arrested on bail, one Inspector Gambo and ASP Eric trailed them to Takum and forcefully collected the N1.2 million, being the compensation money paid by the attackers.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Usman Abdullahi confirmed the incident and said the police is investigating the matter.
As the victims of the December 12, 2024 violent attack continue to cry out to the IGP for Justice, many are questioning if Takum Police Division is different from the Taraba State Police Command.
Meanwhile, the councillor representing Shibong Ward has also called on Egbetokun to set up an investigation panel to probe the double standards and wilfull extortion by the state police command.
