By Stephen Osu Jalingo
Several weeks after the return of peace at the troubled Mambilla Plateau, Sarduna local government area of Taraba state, the aftermath casualty of the crisis continue to increase as both traditional and political leaders in the area continued to suff er suspension. Th e fi rst casualties under this category are the Galadima Ngorje Alhaji Muhammed Sani and the Wakilin Mambilla , Ngorje Alhaji Umaru Cid, who were suspended by the Mambilla traditional council on the directive of the state Bureau for Local Government and chieftaincy Aff airs. Th e legislative council of Sarduna local government council, in one of their sittings, also suspended both the chairman of the council Mr. John Yep and his deputy chairman Alhaji Hassan Yaji, for three months.
Th e state Governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku, has however sworn-in the leader of the Sarduna local government legislative council, Rev. Godfrey Sol, to act within the three months of Yep’s suspension. One of the letters dated 19th July 2017 reads: “ Re-suspension of community leaders in Ngurge , Sarduna local government area” signed by the secretary of the traditional council, Kashimu Bakari. “I am directed to write and inform you of your indefi nite suspension from Sarduna traditional council immediately”. Ishaku, while swearing-in the acting chairman, charged him to embrace all on the Plateau as their leader irrespective of their political, religious and ethnic affi liation. Th e governor further stated that he was ready to do everything humanly possible to ensure lasting peace on the Mambilla Plateau, which he described as “an area paramount to his mind”, but lamented that the crisis had slow down the pace of work on developmental projects on the Plateau.