From Abel Leonard, Lafia
In a devastating blow to the peace efforts in the Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, a militia group unleashed a vicious attack claiming the lives of five individuals, including three military officers.
The chilling incident unfolded as the soldiers embarked on a peace mission towards Katakpa village, only to fall prey to the merciless ambush meticulously laid by the assailants.
According to Mr. Sa’ad Ibrahim, the Member Representing Ugya/Umaisha Constituency in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, who confirmed the harrowing episode in a telephone interview with Daily Sun said the militants not only targeted the soldiers but also ruthlessly snuffed out the lives of two other innocent residents in the area.
“This latest attack,” Mr. Ibrahim lamented, “represents a severe setback to the painstaking efforts undertaken by our security agencies to restore tranquility in Katakpa village and its surroundings.”
The tragedy compounds the already deep wounds inflicted by a recent assault on the community, which resulted in a tragic loss of lives and property, including the revered palace of the traditional ruler.
In the wake of the heinous attack, the lawmaker issued a heartfelt plea to the beleaguered residents of Katakpa and its neighboring communities, urging them to maintain composure and eschew the temptation to mete out justice on their own terms.
“Now, more than ever,” he emphasized, “we must unite in solidarity and resilience against the forces of violence that seek to tear apart the fabric of our society.”
Chairman Abdullahi Aliyu Tashas of the Toto local government area, in confirming the attack and casualty figures, revealed that the soldiers, along with the vigilante group, were dispatched on a crucial peace mission to the embattled Katakpa area.
Their mission was to quell the incessant assaults ravaging Toto communities perpetrated by the militia group. Tragically, they fell victim to the very violence they sought to suppress, succumbing to a coordinated assault by the Bassa militia.
“Bassa people attacked four communities in Katakpa village, prompting the deployment of soldiers to restore peace and order,” Chairman Tashas lamented, highlighting the dire need for effective security measures to stem the tide of bloodshed gripping the region.
In a poignant appeal for proactive security measures, legal luminary Yakubu Galadima implored President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state to fortify security along the porous northern borders. Galadima stressed the imperative of vigilance and preemptive action to curb the escalating insecurity threatening the nation.
“There have been speculations that most of the bandits found their ways into the country through the porous northern Nigerian borders under the umbrella of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) treaty,” Galadima observed, underscoring the urgency of tightening border controls to thwart incursions by hostile elements.
Galadima further denounced the purported role of the Bassa Kwomu traditional ruler, Dr. David Wodi Tukira, alleging that his press conference instigated the deadly assault on Katakpa community.
He accused the Bassa Kwomu leadership of perpetuating instability to assert control over a non-existent Chiefdom, at the expense of peace and stability in Toto Local Government area.
As the echoes of gunfire fade, Nasarawa State finds itself at a crossroads, grappling with the sobering realities of unchecked violence and the imperative of decisive action to safeguard its communities.
The call for enhanced security measures reverberates with renewed urgency, as the specter of bloodshed looms large over the once tranquil landscapes of the region.