At least 138 youths were yesterday
arrested from seven buses and hauled
into detention by men of the Taraba
State Police Command, following
intelligence report that they have been
recruited for a malevolent purpose. Police learnt that the suspects were
allegedly recruited by an unregistered
group known as Emergency Rescue
Team, ERT. Policemen intercepted the buses
conveying the youths on stop-and-
search operation at Mutum Biyu in
Gassol Local Government Area of the
state. Confirming the arrest, the State Police
Command Public Relations Officer,
Joseph Kwaji, said that information
revealed that the youths were hired to
attack police stations and other public
facilities across the state but did not give details. According to him, “The Taraba Police
Command wishes to inform the general
public that sequel to security
intelligence at the disposal of the
command, some youths are being
recruited at Wukari, Donga, Takum, Ussa and Ibi local government areas to
attack police stations and government
installations in Taraba State. “The youths, comprising men and
women between the ages of 20 and 30
years, were being conveyed in six buses
belonging to ‘People’s Choice’, a Taraba
State Government-assisted mass
transit scheme while the seventh bus belongs to one of the orthodox
churches that has a very large
followership in the state.” The command further said the youths,
upon investigations, claimed to be
going for documentation with the ERT,
which is a voluntary organisation in
Jalingo. Kwaji said that four suspects had been
arrested in connection with the illegal
recruitment into the organisation and
were being interrogated for more
information to determine whether they
had sinister motives or not.
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