By Nahum Sule, Jalingo

The Takum Renaissance Forum(TRF)has condemned a press release issue by STYCOP headed by Rikwensi Muri associating’s increasing surge in insecurity and unrest in Southern Taraba to former Takum local government chairman Shiban Tikari.

In a statement issue by the group secretary Emmanuel Joro, it says for the avoidance of doubt, they wouldn’t have dabbled into the issue, but for the sake of records, they’ve chosen to react.

In Muri’s press release which states that “We must also remember the actions of Hon. Shiban Tikari, former chairman of Takum Local Government Council, who similarly exploited the “Tiv Militias,” “Kuteb Militias,” and “Fulani Militias” narrative to destabilize the region”.

The Group responded by saying “It is on records that Hon. Shiban stabilized the atmosphere of Takum and environs during his tenure. His administration was not marred by state-sponsored kidnappings, murders and sacking of more than 100 communities by mercenary bandits brought against the Kuteb communities as claimed by Rikwensi Muri, in his usual false accusations. Muri and his co-travellers are the same ones who were bent on throwing Takum and Ussa communities into the pool of crisis. Everybody knew it. Fulani herdsmen were said to have paid millions to their kuteb Chiefs before being given permission to bring their cows to graze in ussa LGA. Muri is quiet about it.”

The group further stated that the former Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku agreed to compensate the herders on the lost of their cows to stop attacking Kuteb communities, but instead after the money had come to their possession for compensation to be paid to the Fulani, it was diverted. They instead opted for the money to be used for arms procurement to fight the Fulani herdsmen.

“Why are the likes of Muri and their cohorts, who wanted war with Fulani and called for it, still turning around to blame Gov DDI led administration alongside the then chairmen of Takum and Wukari for their woes”?

“It’s good to note that we are above media trials and other sensational lies to curry public sympathy. Muri has been attacking the image of the Governor of Taraba state, Dr Agbu Kefas and other notable personalities in the state like our fathers, Gen TY Danjuma and the Aku Uka, The Chief of Takum and other notable personalities, but we are not beginning to take this as an exception. Muri’s height of media rascality is a charade taken far”.

“Of all these, none of us or even the authority have chosen to arrest him for defamation. Why? Because of his lunatic approaches and the cheap relevance he is looking for, we can’t give him. The public is always aware of his sponsors and where he is driving. But we repeat, with exception, if he decides to take this further because at hand, we are beginning to gather his incisive and inflammatory posts for litigation against him in court” the statement reads.

The group further highlights that Muri press Release is to incite the gullible public against Hon. Shiban over lies and fabrication of falsehood and also maliciously attacking the present chairman of Wukari local government, Hon Agbu Samaila “having known that the attackers of those innocent KYK members of CRCN in Jootar were Tiv militia, those he has been calling for coalition with”.

The group defend that Hon. Shiban Tikari has never been on the run, but in his hometown in Takum. And the media trial being stage-managed by Muri to demean his image has long fallen.

“We are therefore calling on the general public to be wary with the activities of the so-called STYCOP being handled by Muri. It is not a peace building organization as being peddled but an organization aimed at stirring chaos in the southern part of Taraba state. It is a potential terrorist breeding camp”.