Palpable tensions have begun to grow in Taraba community following an attack on a Non-Governmental Organisation, Kurmi Movement for Sensitization and Environmental Protection (KMSEP), who are on a mission to Kurmi local government council to sensitize the people on the negative effects of deforestation.
The NGO who have being on the forefront discouraging the falling down of trees, were said to have been attacked by youths suspected to have been sponsored by the Kurmi council chairman, John Joseph Amamzalla.
The group who as at the time of filing this report are counting their loss, were observed to have been inflicted with various degrees of injuries, the situation which led to the hospitalization of some of them.
Among the victims who could not fathomed why the council boss that ought to lead by example has turned out to be behind the tensions presently rising dusts in the area includes a University don , Arch Mono Bello and a lawyer, Danladi Gambo Tukura.
The group whom our state reporter learnt came under heavy attack in Kpwaula village of Kurmi council, the country home of the chairman, said their attackers were sponsored by the chairman, whom they alleged have being feeding fat on the ongoing illegal logging activities in the council.
The group as further gathered , were on their way to Baissa , the administrative headquarters of the council for campaign against deforestation when the hoodlums suspected to have been mobilized by the council boss descended on them which also led to the destruction of the eighteen seater bus conveying them.
In a video clip made available to our correspondent by some members of the group who claimed to have narrowly escaped, it was observed that the hoodlums were heavily armed to the teeth with various weapons of destructions such as bottles , cutlasses, den guns, among others.
Speaking with our correspondent, one of the victims, Bello who is a lecturer in the state University, could not fathomed why the council chairman went as far as preventing them from entering the council’s headquarters.
Narrating how the “sponsored youths ” bounced on them , thereby destroying the eighteen seater bus conveying them as well as inflicting injuries on some members of the group “our attackers” he said ” were carrying den guns, cutlasses and many other dangerous weapons.”
Sad that “our our good and peaceful mission was misunderstood by the council boss” the dream of the state governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, for putting an end to deforestation, he believed has been frustrated by the chairman.
“Our mission” as stated by him “is to create awareness among the people of the area inline with the executive directive by Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku, the executive governor of the state that falling of trees should be stopped henceforth to save the environment.”
Also speaking, the Chairman KMSEP, Barrister Danladi Gambo Tukura, said they are worried by the cutting down of trees as it is gradually exposing the area to a grave danger in a situation of natural disasters.
Tukura said their intention is to sensitized their fellow youths on the dangers of defforestation which is seriously threatening the environment, affecting the entire ecosystem in the area.
Calling on the governor to as a matter of urgency call the chairman to, the council, as observed by him, is at the verge being enmeshed by disaster following the ongoing massive deforestation.
