NewsAdamawa Muslim Council Berates Police of ” Taking side” in Tingno Ethnic Crisis

The Adamawa state Muslim Council on Tuesday prevailed on security agencies to conduct in-depth investigation without fear or favour into the recent communal clash in Tingno community of Lamurde Local Government Area of the state.

The state commissioner of police Olubenga Adeyanju had on Monday said that 18 persons all male , were arrested  for alleged criminal conspiracy, instigating communal clashes and culpable homicide by fire in Tingno.

Though names  spurred reactions however the police list includes:

1.Shafiu  Garba ,20 years

2.Aminu Mohammad 18 years

3.Rabiu Danjuma 22 years

4.Tasiu Yusuf 18 years

5.Bashir Hamza 18 years

6.Abdulwahab Garba 25 years

7.Danjuma Garba 25 years

8.Hasimu Haruna 30 years

9.Aminu Abdulkadir 22 years

10. Suleiman Yusuf 14 years

11. Mubarak Garba  18 years

12. Jibrin Garba. 25 years

13.Abdullahi Garba 38 years

14 Yau Garba. 22 years

15.Hamza Garba 29 years

16. Alh. Garba Tala 70 years

17. Lauwali Ali 30 years

18. Yushau Mohammed 20 years

According to the police commissioner, “exhibits recovered from the suspects include one LAR assault rifle with seven round of ammunitions, one locally made revolver pistol with ammunition and some quantity of charms.”

But in a swift reaction, the state Muslim Council expressed doubt and sincerity in the arrest as those arrested were only from one side of the affected communities.

In a press conference in Yola, Malam Gambo Jika, the state Chairman of the council, said, ” it is so disheartening to observed that the purported  14  alleged suspects paraded by the police are all of the same family, same tribe and same religion.

” How in earth two communities ensued in an ethnic crisis but only one side will be arrested, I think something is missing in the police alleged suspects names,” said he.

Jika regretted that many lives were lost, several people injured as a result of gunshots and properties destroyed.

The chairman regretted that most of the suspects arrested and paraded by the police were relatives of the victims or those that were cheated.

” But only names of those whose relatives were either killed or injured were branded as perpetrators.”

He therefore called for thorough investigation to establish those who incited the clash and unleashed the mayhem.

According to him, there are 940 women and children at the Lafia Internally Displaced Camp as a result of the attack.

He however commended the effort of the state government and the committee for taking good care of the victims.

Jika said only justice, fairness and equity could end the recurrent crisis and not the apparent bias being demonstrated against the victims.

Earlier Alhaji Umaru Yero, the Chairman, Tingno Victims Emergency Response Committee,  said two out of the 60 victims admitted at Federal Medical Centre and State Specialist Hospital, Yola, had died.

He added that seven victims are currently receiving treatment, while the remaining were discharged.

Yero explained that all the victims sustained injuries from gunshots.

He also commended the state government for settling all the medical bills and feeding of the patients.