From Umar Dankano,Yola
The reconciliation meeting between the warring communities of Lunguda and Waja summoned on Monday at the instance of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri ended with misgivings as Lunguda aggrieved displaced residents accused deputy Governor Chief Crowther Seth of taking side in the crisis.
During the meeting at the palace of the kwandi Nungurya in Guyuk local government,Governor Fintri announced that his government has resolved to set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the remote causes of the prolonged crisis between the communities.
Governor Fintiri warned the warring communities to give peace a chance and adopt peaceful measures in addressing their differences as a people assuring that his government will prosecute all those found guilty in the unrest.
Disturbed by the development Fintiri said security threats bedevilling these communities must stopped forthwith adding that the proposed security summit between Adamawa and Gombe States is in the pipeline for the benefit of boarder communities in the two states.
In his speech,the Kwandi Nungurya Dishon Dansanda Lunguda and Waja have been living peacefully from time immemorial and called on the warring communities to embrace peace and forgiveness.
A resident and eyewitness in Guyuk told peoples Daily that it was when the Governor and his entourage visited the displaced persons at the Guyuk Central primary school that irate crowd of nearly 3,000 IDPs booed deputy governor Chief Seth, accusing him openly of taking sides in the raging conflict that has claimed about 26 lives last week alone.
The eyewitness who preferred to be anonymous in the print stated that,immediately the governor mentioned the name of the deputy as part of the investigation panel the crowd went into a frenzy and instantly rejected his inclusion.
He explained that the IDPs did not mince words in telling the governor that one of the Deputy governor’s henchmen and political man by name Alhaji Halilu Jidda popularly called “Sarkin Yaki”is profiting from the intractable crisis.
The witness revealed that the IDPs also displayed placards of different inscriptions like, “the deputy governor is harboring a criminal, Halilu S.Y, a war monger;
According to the eyewitness, the IDPs urged the governor in the spirit of peace not to include the deputy noting that: “we need justice and peace, If you allow that man justice will be denied.”
According to the source, the IDPs further alleged that Halilu, a close associate of the deputy governor, thrives on violent crimes, including cattle rustling and war mongering.
“Even the government had a peace accord meeting head by the deputy Governor himself at his office,immediately we warring communities came out of the conference hall ,we saw the same war monger ( Halilu) been ushered in to meet him.
“We are also aware of the permanent rented room accommodation for him (Halilu) at the Medugu Hotels behind Government House Yola including the attached police man security protection since there is no peace in the land.
“Imagine how shamelessly the deputy governor was crying publically at the IDPs camp when the irate youths were protesting against him before all the deginitaries with the Governor.So that enough is a signal to tell everybody we are not comfortable with him (Deputy governor).He attested
According to the eyewitness, the governor who was apparently miffed by the development promised the irate crowd that he will deal with all those who have a hand in the communal clash no matter their status in the society.
When contacted on his boss response on the allegations the media aide to the deputy governor, George Kushi declined to comment on the matter.
It could be recalled that the Lunguda and Waja communities have been in a communal clash for sometimes now in which many villages and villagers from both sides were razed down and killed respectively including serving councillor representing Guyuk ward,Saliyo Oliver Barka ,who was the majority leader of the Guyuk legislative council.
