Numan attack: Jibrilla calls for calm as Muslim Council seek probe of killings

Governor of Adamawa State, Muhammad Umar Jibrilla Bindow, has called for calm among parties involved in the recent attack in Numan.

The governor made the call when he visited victims of the attack who are receiving medical attention at both Specialist Hospital and the Federal Medical Centre in Jimeta and Yola.

He described as sad, barbaric and uncivilised the attack and pointed out that nobody has the right to take anybody’s life, with assurance that, “government will ensure that those behind the attack are arrested and prosecuted.”

On the recent bomb blast in Mubi, the Governor said: “Mubi and other insurgency inflicted areas of the state were calm and peaceful, but I’m surprised that this dastardly and cowardly act has happened.”

At the time of filing this report, an urgent security meeting with top security personnel, traditional rulers and relevant stakeholders, was holding at the Government House Council chamber.

Meanwhile, the Muslim Council of Adamawa State has called on the state government to as matter of urgency set up a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate and prosecute those behind the recent killings in Numan Local Government Area of the state.

Alhaji Abubakar Magaji, the state chairman of the council, made the call at a press conference in Yola and described the killing as “genocide”.

Magaji noted that setting up a judicial panel of inquiry is to investigate the circumstances and the perpetrators of the carnage and to bring all those involved to justice.

“The state government should immediately set up a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the circumstances and the perpetrators of this carnage and to bring all those involved to justice.

“The state government should adequately compensate the lives that were lost and property in the attack,” Magaji said.

He said that government should also take full and prompt responsibility of medical treatment of the injured victims.

The council also demand the disbandment of various vigilante groups as well as to provide adequate security in the state.

He described the killings as ethnic cleansing, adding that 55 innocent people were so far confirmed by the council killed in the attack.

“Among those killed were six women, one man and 48 children, whose age ranges from one to nine years, including a three-day-old baby.

“And up to now, several women and children are still missing and about 150 heads of cattle also killed.

“The Muslim Council wishes to reiterate its continued commitment to help in the maintenance of peace and peaceful co-existence among the diverse people of the state,” Magaji stated.

It would be recalled that on Monday, November 20, 2017, a suspected gunmen attacked three Fulani communities in Numan Local Government Area where many people were killed.

Tom Garba, Yola