• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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BusinessDay

Slain Catholic Priest: Family sues for peace in Taraba State

Darius-Dickson-Ishaku-Taraba state governor

 

The family of late Rev. Fr. David Tanko on Saturday sued for peace among the Jukuns and the Tivs in Taraba State,  saying  their family member paid the supreme price.

Simon Tanko and Rose Tanko, younger siblings of the slain Priest, in an interview with our correspondent described his death as a painful lost to the family.

“We loved Father Tanko and he was everything to us. As an elder brother he was like a father and mother to us. We lost all our parents, but Tanko filled the vacuum for us,” Rose said.

Rev. Fr. Tanko was reportedly killed between Kasuan Haske and Tor-Tsee village on his way to his station at Amadu from Takum on Wednesday. His killers also burnt his body in his vehicle.

His murder is the latest in a string of killings since the escalation on April 1, 2019 of a perennial conflict between the Tivs and Jukuns in Taraba State that dates as far back as 1991. The conflict has consumed more than 100 people in the past five months, with Fr. Tanko as the most prominent.

“We accept his death as an act of God. There is nothing we can do because he has paid the supreme price. He died in pursuit of peace and we pray that his death will bring peace in Taraba,” Rose said.

“God says we should touch not his anointed, so we have left his death with the Lord to serve judgment on his killers,” Rose submitted.

On his part, Simon Tanko, the immediate younger brother of the Priest, called for investigation to unravel those behind his murder.

While commending the concern shown by the Federal Government over the murder of Fr. Tanko, Simon called on security agencies to ensure that his killers are brought to justice.

“Before his death, we discussed with him over the security situation in the area and we advised him to leave the place for a while, but he refused.

“We called soldiers in Takum who came and moved him to Takum, and we never knew he was coming from Takum to celebrate mass occasionally until his death.

“We have lost a peace maker, but we are consoled with the fact that Fr. Tanko knew where he was going and we are sure he is resting with the Lord,” Simon said.