NYSC members flee Taraba State over Boko Haram attacks

“Joint Task Force  imposes curfew on Potiskum” 

CORPS members serving in Taraba State have begun to return to their various states of origin over the fear of possible attacks by the fundamentalist Islamic group, Boko Haram.

Also, the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Yobe State has imposed a 14-hour curfew on Potiskum over last Friday’s Boko Haram’s attacks that claimed three lives and destroyed three banks and a police station.

Potiskum is 100 kilometres West of Damaturu, the state capital and among the five council areas under the state of emergency.

Col. Dahiru Abdulsalam, the commander of JTF, in a statement made available to The Guardian yesterday in Damaturu, directed that the restriction of the movement of motorcycles should commence from 4.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. while the movement of vehicles should be restricted from 6.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. until the security situation improves.

Hundreds of the corps members were seen at various motor parks located in Jalingo, the state capital, yesterday boarding vehicles to their various destinations outside Taraba State.

Some of them, who bared their minds to The Guardian, said the recent attacks by unknown gunmen in Mubi, Adamawa State, which led to the killing of no fewer than 20 persons, was “enough signal for us that they can as well enter this state at anytime”.

The corps members faulted President Goodluck Jonathan for the state of emergency he imposed on some local council areas, stating that the action would facilitate the movement of Boko Haram to nearby states.

“That state of emergency declared by the President in those local council areas where the sect has been operating is not the best. For taking such an action, I feel he (President) has further given them the leverage to migrate to other state”, they said.

Some of the corps members, who claimed they were observing the service year in nearby local councils of Ardo-Kola, Zing, Yorro, Gassol, Karim-Lamido, to mention just a few, said they had all abandoned their duty posts.

The corps members, who sought anonymity, said: “Some of us have been receiving telephone calls by our people to, as a matter of urgency, come back home. As far as I am concerned, my life is very precious to me and my family.

“My coming back here by God’s grace is going to be by February because that is the period I shall be passing out. So I will try and come around for my certificate. From then, I shall say bye-bye to the North”.

Another corps member said: “Our people have sent us transport fares through our various bank accounts. Still staying behind depends on police protection. My brother, it is risky”.

A senior official of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) agreed that “most of them ran to the secretariat yesterday and claimed that their people are asking them to leave and come back home.

“That is all I can say about that. I would have suggested you meet my boss but she is not in the office now. Their security is what is important now. There is a lot to that but as you know, I am not the right person to speak to you. It is very sad that our leaders are toying with the lives of Nigerians”.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ibiang Mbasekei, who spoke with The Guardian on the latest development, said: “We are aware of the emergency declared by the President. And before now, the President has given instructions that the military, in collaboration with the police, should beef up security in the affected areas”.

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By Charles Akpeji (Jalingo) and Njadvara Musa (Damaturu)

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