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Soldier, Two Others Killed in Taraba Post Council Elections Violence -- Official

Vanguard (Lagos)
NEWS
April 11, 2004
Posted to the web April 12, 2004

By Umar Yusuf Jalingo

Normalcy has been restored in Doga Local Government Area of Taraba State after political violence trailed the recently concluded local government elections in the area.

Special Adviser to Governor Jolly Nyame on security, Mr. Charles Maijankai, said in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, that two civilians and a soldier lost their lives to the crisis.

He described as untrue reports that 29 civilians were massacred during the crisis, saying that media reports of the incident were exaggerated.

The special adviser explained that trouble started moments after the results of the local government elections were released when some members of an opposition party took to the streets to protest alleged fraud in the polls. He added that the protest degenerated into a full blown riot between members of PDP and the ANPP following which military and police personnel were drafted to the area to maintain the peace.

According to the special adviser, few days after the incident, he and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Danladi Baido, were dispatched to the area for an on-the-spot assessment of the damage inflicted during the trouble.

He added that on arrival in Donga town, their entourage was held hostage in the palace of the Gara-Donga for over four hours by youths who were chanting war songs that the entire entourage should be killed.

"The Gara-Donga, Mr. Stephen Bayonga, rescued us out of the town by driving us in his personal vehicle, while our cars were burnt to ashes," he said.

"On our way out of Donga town, we met a combined team comprising soldiers, police and SSS on routine patrol, who equally ran into the rampaging people in the town and a soldier was shot dead instantly," he further explained.

He stated that the security agents in an attempt to disperse the crowd and defend themselves started shooting into the air.

The special adviser stated that the two civilians that were killed died as a result of the clash between supporters of PDP and ANPP and not from the bullets of the soldiers.

Maijankai disclosed that the state government is to set-up a commission of inquiry to investigate the incident.

 
 

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