Traditional Ruler Escapes Gunmen Attack In Taraba

The paramount ruler of Yandang Chiefdom, Haniel Banti, has escaped an attack by armed men in Taraba State.

In an interview with Channels Television, the monarch revealed that the incident happened at about 1:10am on Sunday.

According to him, this occurred a few hours after he hosted a peace meeting with the warring tribes of his chiefdom which has led to the displacement of hundreds of people.

Banti stressed that the incident made it the second time he would be attacked, noting that the first took place on September 2, 2019.

He described the attack as an invasion by “men of the underworld” who invaded his compound with heavy guns and started shooting, only to be repelled by his guards.

The traditional ruler insisted that it was a calculated attempt to thwart the plans of the state government in resolving the dispute among warring groups in Taraba.

He said he reported the previous incident to the police while necessary reports were taken in the course of an investigation, but they have yet to reveal the outcome.

Banti added that the recent incident has also been reported to the constituted authorities, although the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, David Misal, said the attack has yet to be reported to him.

Yandang is one of the newly established chiefdoms by the administration of Governor Darius Ishaku in Taraba.