Gunmen kill Catholic priest in Taraba; Set him, his car on fire

Jalingo, Aug. 29, 2019

A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. David Tanko, was on Thursday killed by gunmen in the Takum Local Government Area of Taraba.

The Chairman of the Local Government, Mr Shiban Tikari, confirmed the killing while speaking to newsmen in Jalingo on Thursday.

Tikari said the priest was ambushed and killed by bandits on his way to a meeting to resolve the crisis between the Tiv and their Jakun neighbours in Kufai Amadu community in Takum.

“After killing him, the attackers set him and his car on fire.’’

Tikari said that Tanko was an indigene of Wukari Local Government Area of the state.

He fingered people he described as Tiv militia for the killing, alleging that the militia was responsible for other attacks that had claimed lives and property in Southern Taraba.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that efforts to speak to the police authority proved abortive as calls and text messages sent to the police spokesman, Mr David Misal, were neither picked nor responded to.

Taraba State has witnessed series of deadly attacks in recent months with the most recent taking place in the Wukari Local Government Area of the state.

Donga and Takum Local Government Areas have also witnessed bloody incidents.

Many people in Tor-Damsa community in Donga Local Government have been rendered homeless, following relentless attacks by militia groups.