By Christiania Lot in Jos
The Taroh ethnic nationality in Langtang Noth, Langtang South and Wase Local Government Areas of Plateau state, under the umbrella of Ngwang Ishi O’Tarok (NIO) has raised the alarm over alleged threats by terrorists.
A statement jointly signed by the President and Secretary of the group, Chief David Dashe and Nangor Ndam, respectively, and made available to journalists in Jos, called on the Plateau state government to take immediate action to avert the evil being planned against the Tarok nation and other communities in Plateau South.
The statement said, in recent weeks, Tarok communities in Wase, Langtang North and Langtang South as well as other neighbouring communities, have continued to “witness unprecedented influx of war like strangers” in their communities.
According to the statement, the strangers are camped in villages like Aving, Jawando, Gwiwa-Kogi-Pino, Timman, Tunga, Nzhi-Nbwai and Zam-Bwarat, all in Wase LGA.
The group said, “If this threat is left unchecked, it will worsen the prevailing national security challenges with far reaching implications on food security as attacks on the farmers will inevitably disrupt farming activities leading to food shortages.
“We hope the security agents will deploy appropriate measures that will nip these threats in the bud in order to avoid another cycle of breakdown of law and order, and also thaw the unpleasant repercussion of the impugned acts and provocation”.
The statement further said, “the plots against the Tarok people have been intensified in recent weeks as the terrorists are allegedly perfecting plans to attack the people of Wase, Langtang North and Langtang South LGAs and by extension the entire southern plateau state…”
The group added that, reports from official circles which confirmed plans by terrorists to attack on the Tarok people and other communities in Plateau state, “clearly justify our fears”.
It recalled that between 2002 and 2013, the Tarok nation was isolated as target of countless attacks, conspiracy and molestations by terrorists for unprovoked reasons which claimed the lives of people and the destruction of property worth millions of naira.
“Since the end of that ugly tragedy, the Tarok nation has continued to tackle the scourge of its displaced population”, the statement said.
