The Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, has debunked the allegation that he ordered the extermination of Fulani ethnic group.
He described the claim as false.
Emmanuel Bello, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, who spoke on his behalf also condemned the feud between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Mambilla Plateau, Sardauna Local Government.
In a statement issued by Bello, the governor said those spreading the false claims were merely out for mischief.
The statement reads in part: “The accusers of Governor Ishaku are saying that he, at some point, actually gave orders by way of a broadcast or in some secret location that a certain ethnic group should be wiped out of Taraba.
“They must have a tape recording of such instructions or directives. They probably have a memo by the governor where he clearly gave the plans for eliminations, stating timelines.
“They also probably know the armed militia he had planned with to carry out the dastardly act. Now, if they don’t have all of these, as I’m sure there is nothing like that, then, it is amazing how they could sit before journalists and tell a civilised world that a genocide has been planned against them.
“If they want to see genocides, ample examples are there but certainly not in our dear Taraba State. We don’t profile people in this very lovely state or plan the eliminations of same. Life is sacrosanct here.”
He added: “In Taraba State, all human lives are precious to us. That is why Governor Ishaku keeps pushing for peace. That’s even his mantra: he says, ‘give me peace and I would give you development’; he is too refined, too peace-loving to engage in any kind of blood-letting or encourage such. The governor is a very civilised man of the world who has interacted with various segments”, Bello said.
