IRT killings: Top Taraba politicians fingered in bloody clash

Fresh facts have emerged over the recent clash between men of the Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police and some personnel of the Nigerian Army in Ibbi area of Taraba State.

Recall that the two security agencies have been at loggerheads over the killings of some cops in Taraba State penultimate week ago.

However, latest revelation by the Taraba Truth and Justice Committee showed that there might be a political dimension to the clash.

According to the group, the clash might not be unconnected with the ongoing power tussle between the All Progressives Congress, APC, senatorial candidate, Ishaku Bauka, and his Peoples Democratic Party’s counterpart, Emmanuel Bwacha, that won the election.

The Taraba Truth and Justice Committee said it was able to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that indeed what happened in Ibbi was a fall out of a political disagreement between two prominent politicians who have been trying to outsmart each other using the instrument of the Nigeria Police Force.

In an investigative report released by the group on Friday, the group said the kidnap suspect, Hamisu Wadume might be working for one of the politicians, hence, the clash between the security agencies.

The report signed by its President, Josiah Kifasi, called on the federal government to as a matter of urgency invite top politicians from Taraba South Senatorial District for questioning on what they know about the activities of Hamisu Wadume.

The report reads in full.

The Taraba Truth and Justice Committee a select committee was set up by concerned stakeholders in Taraba state to unravel the mystery surrounding events that led to the death of three IRT operatives who went on a mission to the effect that arrest of an alleged kidnapping kingpin Hamisu Wadume in Taraba state.

The committee was mandated amongst other things to reveal the identities of the key actors in the skirmish, with the view to putting issues in proper perspective and to aid the presidential investigative panel in the task ahead of them.

Consequently, the Taraba Truth and Justice Committee carried out a detailed investigation on the security concerns in Taraba state by interacting with identified key players within Ibbi community and Jalingo the state capital. Critical stakeholders in the state were consulted, and their opinions and positions put side by side with the prevailing realities.

The Taraba Truth and Justice Committee were able to establish that the incident in Ibbi was not a happenstance. It is a result of a history of political gladiators wielding their powers in a bid to outsmart each other. This is on the heels that the battle for the control of Taraba South Senatorial district is a significant factor that might have led to the skirmishes that resulted recently.

The Taraba Truth and Justice Committee were not able to fully establish the fact that Hamisu Wadume is a kidnapper. Though he lives a questionable lifestyle, he is known to be a supporter of political party bigwigs in the state, especially in Taraba South Senatorial District. His known source of livelihood as it were was fish selling and how he was able to amass wealth requires further investigations by the relevant authorities.

The Taraba Truth and Justice Committee were able to identify some grey areas where the relationship between the Nigerian Police and the Nigerian Army went soar in the security architecture of the state.

The Taraba Truth and Justice Committee were able to establish the fact that there is an ongoing battle of supremacy between the Nigerian Police and the Nigerian Army in Taraba state.

The fiercely contested elections in Taraba South Senatorial District between Emmanuel Bwacha of the People’s Democratic Party and Ishaku Bauka of the All Progressives Congress might have some security implications in the district, which houses to house Ibbi.

The Taraba Truth and Justice Committee were able to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that indeed what happened in Ibbi is a fall out of a political disagreement between two prominent politicians who have been trying to outsmart each other using the instrument of the Nigerian Police Force.

It can thus be stated that selfish politicians in the state are responsible for the level of insecurity experienced in the state. They have spared no cost or method, including buying the Nigerian Police over to achieve their political agenda.

The Taraba Truth and Justice Committee states that after an extensive deliberations and interactions, Hamisu Wadume might be working for one of the politicians, which in turn gave the politician undue advantage over the other and as such the Nigerian Police was called in to effect his arrest in an attempt to whittle the political power Hamisu Wadume brings to the table for his paymaster.

This is also on the heels that Hamisu Wadume commands significant grassroots following due to his generous nature, and with this advantage, he has been able to play himself into a position of strength and relevance in the political arena.

The Taraba Truth and Justice Committee were able to establish that part of the issue in the state in the build-up to the 2023 gubernatorial elections where the battle to succeed the incumbent governor has started in earnest. So as such politicians with interest have begun making ways for the actualizing of their political ambitions and one of such ways it was established is a clampdown of those loyal to their perceived opponents.

The Taraba Truth and Justice Committee after a painstaking process, regrettably conclude that the activities of selfish politicians in the state if not curtailed might turn Taraba state into a killing field. The fact that there is an unholy alliance between the Nigerian Police in Taraba State and politicians portends great danger for the sustenance of peace and tranquillity in the state.

The Taraba Truth and Justice Committee in light of the avalanche of information at its disposal with regards to the unfortunate incident in Ibbi that led to the death of three police officers attached to the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, as a result of this make the following recommendations:

That the federal government should as a matter of urgency invite top politicians from Taraba South Senatorial District for questioning on what they know about the activities of Hamisu Wadume.

That the federal government should investigate the closeness of the hierarchy of the Taraba State Police Command to top politicians in the state and why it took the intervention of the members of the IRT from Abuja to effect an arrest in Taraba state.

The Federal government must mandate the Taraba state government to provide answers on why the activities of political thugs fester unhindered in the state.
That there should be sweeping deployments of police and army officers in the state with immediate effect.