Aircraft loaded with firearms in Taraba police to investigate.

The Taraba State Police Command on Sunday said it was gathering intelligence on reports that a helicopter suspected to be loaded with firearms and ammunition landed in Jubu village, Wukari local government area of the State on Saturday night.

          

Jibu is located along River Benue, near Ibi.

          

News of the aircraft carrying fire arms and landing in Jubu village  was widely circulated on social media onSaturday.

          

The report, yet to be verified, scared residents in the State.

          

Governor Darius Ishaku’s media and publicity aide, Bala Dan Abu, alleged that the arms and ammunition might be meant for a militia group that may be planning to carry out attacks on Taraba villages.

          

“This system of arms delivery was said to have happened prior to the tragic attacks in Agatu in Benue State last year, which led to many killings.

          

“Nothing was done to trace and arrest the owners of the helicopter.
This may be another planned militia attacks in the offing,” Abu said.

         

A member of the Taraba State House of Assembly representing Wukari II Constituency, Josiah Aji, told newsmen he was alerted of the development.

          

Aji said he had also alerted security agencies and the chairman of Wukari local government council, Daniel Adi, to investigate the allegation.

          

Police spokesman, David Misal, said a surveillance team was directed to the area to get to the roots of the matter, to verify whether is true or false alarm.

          

Misal, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who spoke to our correspondent, said: “That issue remains a rumour for now; we are yet to confirm it. We cannot dismiss it too. We are gathering intelligence on it.

          

“We shall make our findings known to the public at the appropriate time,” he said.  

          

A resident of Jibu, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent on telephone, that even late last year, a helicopter landed in the same village in the night, but the mission of the helicopter was not established.

“But now I am in Wukari town so I don’t whether an aircraft has landed there again.”

         

The source said he was informed that fire arms were being ferried across River Benue in Jubu to Banteje, a town along Wukari-Jalingo Road.

         

Another resident of Jibu said he was not aware of any helicopter landing in Jubu village.