Tension In Taraba

Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, Northeast Nigeria came under serious tension yesterday following a clash between the police and angry youths over the killing of a man and a woman.

The incident happened at about 8.30 p.m. when a police Toyota Hilux van chased a commercial motorcyclist and crushed the rider and his passenger, a woman to death. The incident occurred at the Federal Medical Centre junction in Jalingo.

Shortly after, the angry youths in the area trooped out in large numbers and set the police patrol van ablaze and also attempted to lynch the four policemen inside the vehicle.

The cops were lucky to escape. They fled to the nearby Jalingo Police Station.

The angry youths later barricaded all the roads leading to the area, looking for any policeman in uniform to kill in revenge.

P.M.NEWS correspondent gathered from the scene of the accident that the youths took over the streets for many hours, smashing the windscreen of all vehicles on the road.

The police mobilized their men to the spot firing teargas and shooting into the air to disperse the rioters.

When P.M.NEWS visited the Jalingo Specialist Hospital this morning, the corpse of the victims were deposited at the hospital’s mortuary. A two-and-a-half year old boy who was with the victims at the time of the accident, was seen at the FMC, Jalingo receiving treatment following the injuries he sustained.

Tension was actually heightened in Jalingo by the fear that the Boko Haram may have taken over the Taraba State capital.

Many residents were compelled to flee their houses to nearby police stations to seek refuge.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of Taraba State Command, Mr. Ibiang Mbasing told P.M.NEWS that the incident was a mere accident.

He confirmed the death of the two people, adding that no arrests had been made.

— Ben Adaji/Jalingo