By Callistus Agwaza in Jalingo
The Kuteb Elders Forum (KEF), Abuja, has asked the Taraba state governor, Agbu Kefas, to call Benjamin Bako, one of his aides to order for making inciting comments on social media platforms.
In a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, leader of KEF, Ande Fili, said Bako’s acidic utterances are likely to plunge the state into crises.
Bako is one of the about 1,500 people recently appointed as the aides to the governor.
Fili said it has become expedient to draw the attention of the governor to the activities of Bako, particularly,
his recent comments, pointing an accusing finger at the Kuteb for the gruesome of a monarch and his son in Takum LGA of the state.
He added that baseless insinuations, instigations and incitements have become Bako’s stock in trade.
He advised Bako to act like a statesman and work for peace and unity of Taraba state rather than stereotyping and profiling people to incite crisis and create unrest.
“It is with great shock that we read a piece of article that emanated from Benjamin Bako titled MATTER OF URGENT NATIONAL IMPORTANCE, that was published on his facebook page and other media outlets”, the statement reads.
“We are not surprised that such article came from Benjamin Bako because baseless insinuations, instigations and incitements have become his identity.
“While Bako Benjamin ought to be a respected statesman, especially, now that he is an appointee of Governor Agbu Kefas, and by whose status as adviser of the governor, should know better, act better and write with decorum on social media on matters of security, rule of law and fundamental human rights, he threw caution to the wind.
“It is also prudent to assume that Mr. Bako knows clearly that he who asserts must prove.
“It is on the ground of him throwing caution to the wind with weighty allegations that we chose to reply him.
“It is apparent that Mr Bako premeditated his piece of writing against Kuteb tribe of Southern Taraba from venom brewed in his mind as accusations of this magnitude are not new from him”.
The statement said further that, “it is glaring from Bako’s previous writings and from his antecedents that he is anti-peace, anti-progress and anti-rule of law.
“May we pose few questions to Mr Bako. Mr Bako are you just getting to know that Southern Taraba is plagued by insecurity of unimaginable magnitude for years now?
“Are you not aware that almost on daily basis Kuteb men and women are killed along Takum-Ussa road, in farms in Takum, Ussa and Yangtu and on the other roads leading to Takum and Ussa?
“Why have you not ever written any article condemning the killing of over 2000 kuteb sons and daughters in various communities of Takum, Ussa and Yangtu in the last two or three years?
“Why haven’t you blamed any ethnic group in Takum over the sacking and destruction of over 80 villages in Takum, Ussa and Yangtu in the last two or three years?
“Mr. Bako, why haven’t you, as one of the closest associates of the governor of Taraba state, brought to mainstream media, daily killings that occur along Takum-Ussa road, the most recent of which is the abduction and murder of one Mr Godwin just a week ago when he left his family in Lissam on his way to Takum?
“His lifeless body was found in the bush by the road side in Takum segment of the road. The community is still mourning.
“While we sympathise with the family of the Gar Chanchanji and condemn in totality, the death of the monarch and Kuteb sons and daughters who have lost their lives in this gruesome manner, we wish to ask Mr Bako whether this is the first time innocent souls are killed in roads leading to Takum?
“Why have you not blamed your kinsmen, Chamba, whenever a Kuteb man is killed but find joy in dragging the name of Kuteb in the mud at all times, even when we have remained calm in the face of injustice and heinous provocations?
“Is it a tactics to vilify the victims (Kuteb) in this case by beating them and stopping them from crying out while turning around to blame their ordeal on them?
“Do you think painting Kuteb bad in the eye of the world will right the wrongs meted on them by you and your co-travelers of merchant of tribal bigotry and injustice?…
“We sincerely urge Mr Bako Benjamin to write with civility, desist from inciting one tribe against the others, apologise to for the baselessly allegations tribes and allow the security agencies to fish out the perpetrators and restore absolute security to Southern Taraba”.
