The Taraba State Commissioner of police CP David Akinremi was on Monday morning attacked by irate youths at Tudunwada area of Jalingo.
The state Command’s Public Relations Officer ASP David Misal told Newsmen in Jalingo that the Commissioner had gone to the area with a team of officers to restore normalcy following reports of youths unrest only for him to be stoned on the head.
Misal, who said the commissioner was rushed to the hospital where he was treated and later discharged, also disclosed that several arrests have been made following the crisis.
“Yesterday, some irate youths armed with dangerous weapons including cutlasses, axes and other objects started disturbing the peace of residents around Tudun Wada and Gada Boboji areas of Jalingo town. Our men were deployed there and normalcy returned.
However, this morning we got reports that the boys had come out again in large numbers brandishing these weapons and the situation was so bad that the CP decided to go there himself with other officers. In the course of addressing the youths to calm them down, he was stoned in the head and was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries.
“For now, he was discharged and is taking his rest at home. As we speak, a serious operation is going on there to calm the situation and forestall further breakdown of law and order in the area”.
Misal warned that the command would never sit back and watch people take the law into their own hands and unleash mayhem on the people.
“I can assure you that the command would make sure that normalcy is completely maintained in the area and the perpetrators of this crime be are brought to book. Several arrests have been made already and thorough investigation would be carried out.
“Let me use this opportunity to call on members of the public to always report any suspicious elements to the police promptly with great assurance that their identity would be safeguarded. The police in the state operate with the best professional practice and would not tolerate anyone assaulting officers who are making huge sacrifices to ensure the protection of lives and property of citizens”, Misal said.
Jalingo has become a city under siege from hoodlums who continue to unleash terror on residents and street fights have become commonplace, with a growing number of indiscriminate attacks on people. The command has cracked down on criminal gangs and made several arrests in recent times but the situation so far seems to be far from under control.
Taraba state police command Public Relations Officer ASP David Misal.
