Crime & SecurityNewsNigeriaAdamawa Violence Attack: Tingno Community Requests For Army Base As 15,000 Bags Rice Stolen

As peace now returns to the warring communities of Tingno in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa state, residents have asked the Federal government to site an army base to stem the perennial violence between Hausa and Chobo ethnic nationalities in the area.

Tingno, a rice-producing community in Lamurde had last week witnessed ethnic clash resulting in loss of lives and properties.

Appreciating the state government and security agencies for prompt action, a community leader in the area, Alhaji Garba Dauda said the call has become imperative in view of the loss of lives and properties the people suffer perennially as a result of the frequency of violence between the two sides.

‘’ We don’t have guns but at the slightest misunderstanding our people are usually rounded up by AK 47 wielding people and massacred in cold blood.

” This scenario usually happened whenever we started harvesting rice. We usually incur substantial losses due to theft and violence around this period. So we are appealing to the federal government to come to our rescue by sitting an army barracks so that we can live in peace and carry out our rice farming business,” he said.

Dauda recalls that so far over 15,000 bags of rice were stolen, 36 houses razed down just as 36 people were killed, and while over 50 people were wounded during the violent confrontation.

The community leader also called on both the federal and state government to come to their plight compensating them as the loses they incur was heavy adding no assistance came their way since the eruption of the crisis.

“We are grateful to governor  Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri who footed the medical bills of those who were wounded during the crisis.

” But apart from that, no assistance came our way from the state and federal governments to cushion the effect of the deadly attack and losses we incur,” he said.

On the arbitrary arrest and continued detention of some suspects, the community regrets that‘’ there was arbitrary arrest by police and its look one-sided. Police arrested our people in their houses and are detained for days without charging them to court, despite the fact that we are the ones attacked.

‘’About 30 members of our community were arrested and kept in police detention without being charged to court.

Recalling his ordeal one of the hospitalized victims, Mallam Hussaini, said: ‘’I had a gunshot on my left hand; the bullet was removed now as you can see I am recuperating here on the hospital bed. It was a small misunderstanding between two bikes riders but later snowball into a bloody war as if it was pre-planned because within short minutes we just started hearing gun sounds pervading the air.

‘’ In fact, a can’t ascertain the number of casualties recorded because I was unconscious only found myself in the hospital.

‘’ We want the permanent presence of soldiers to end the incessant attacks been launched on our communities.

‘’For long, there have been pockets of attacks, particularly harvesting period. They create unnecessary tension in the town to loot our farm products.

‘’So, let the government come to our plight,’’ he urges

However, when contacted, on the allegation of arbitrary arrest, the police spokesman in the state Sulaiman Nguroje dismissed claims that police affected one-sided arrest adding that the police can never be part of such a crisis.

‘’No, arbitrary arrest and investigation have since commenced in connection with the arrests, any anyone found guilty will be prosecuted while those that have no hand will be released.

Nguroje, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) assured that the police and other security operatives’ deployed will continue to protect the lives and property of the citizenry.

‘’I can assure that the police and other security deployed are professionals and will ensure lives and property are protected,’’ said Nguroje.