Gunmen vehicle kill six in Taraba
By Callistus Agwaza in Jalingo
Six people, including the driver of a commuter vehicle, were killed by gunmen in the early hours of Monday, at Sai village along Takum-Wukari Road, Taraba state.
The killings occurred weeks after a traditional ruler and his son were murdered on the same spot by criminal elements terrorising the area.
The commuter vehicle was said to have taken off from Takum for Wukari around 6 am on Monday, only to be ambushed at a village near Sai in neighbouring Benue state.
John Ali, Chairman of Takum LGA, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview, saying he received news of the tragic.
“Five passengers left Takum around 6 am. and while approaching a village near Sai in Benue state, gunmen emerged from the forest and opened fire on the moving vehicle killing all the five passengers and the driver were killed”, Ali said.
According to the council chairman, security operatives in the area have embarked on patrols to track down the fleeing gunmen.
Spokesperson of the Taraba State police command, Kwache Gambo also confirmed the incident, saying police operatives have commenced investigation to fish out those behind the dastardly act.
It was gathered that victims of the attack include: Kabiru – driver of the vehicle; Abba Ayuba Bulus, Registrar, College of Health Technology, Takum; Gambo Andemi, a nonacademic staff with the College of Health Technology, Takum.
Others include, Samuel Pius Mbakpough, Principal of a secondary school in the state; Tanko Danjuma, a staff of the Federal University, Wukari. A lady was said to have been spared by the hoodlums.
The Takum-Wukari high way that connect parts of Benue State and Taraba has been described as a death trap as bandits operate freely on the road..
The attack on the passengers occupied barely three weeks when the Chief of Chanchagi in Takum LGA, alongside his son were killed by gunmen as they were returning from a function.
A few years ago, a Catholic Priest was murdered along the road and burnt to ashes.
There had been several cases of people who were either kidnapped or robbed several times along the road, despite deployment of soldiers to the area.
Most of the roads leading out of Takum have witnessed several attacks by unknown gun and kidnappers.
The Takum- Bisauala road has been the scene of several killings by gunmen who attacked vehicles and motorcycles plying the road.
In 2023, two Immigration officers were gunned down on the killing spot which is within the ear shot of the Takum Divisinal Police Headquarters and about 300 meters away from a hospital built by Lt.Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd), a former minister of Defence.