The Chairman of Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State, Muhammad J. Umar, has appealed to the Federal and Taraba State Governments to urgently provide humanitarian assistance to residents displaced by the recent communal unrest in the area.
Umar made the appeal while commending the Federal and state governments for their prompt response to the crisis and the deployment of security personnel to affected communities.
He said the presence of security personnel had contributed significantly to restoring calm and reassuring residents who had been living in fear since the outbreak of the crisis.
The chairman disclosed that the displaced persons, mostly women and children, are currently taking refuge in Wuro Ardo Abdu and Wuro Ardo Yusufa in Mararraba Tep, as well as Mbara-Row, all in Sardauna LGA.
He consequently called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency (TSEMA) to urgently provide relief materials and other forms of assistance to the displaced residents.
Umar also commended the security agencies for their intervention, saying the curfew imposed on the affected communities would remain in force indefinitely as efforts continue to restore lasting peace.
He disclosed that peace talks with community leaders would resume soon, adding that he had on Friday reached out to community leaders through open letters, urging them to maintain peace and take necessary steps to prevent further escalation of the crisis.
The council chairman also condemned the circulation of fake and unverified reports on social media, warning that such information could heighten tension and undermine efforts by authorities and community leaders to restore peace.
He urged residents to exercise restraint and verify information before sharing it, particularly while security agencies and other stakeholders are working to stabilise the affected communities.
Umar further disclosed that investigations were ongoing to determine the number of casualties and assess the extent of damage resulting from the unrest.
