Police nab top Amazonian commander in Taraba

A top commander of the Amazonian soldiers, believed to have been making life difficult for Taraba border communities, has been arrested.

Communities sharing common boundaries with the nearby Cameroon Republic, it would be recalled, in recent times, have been living in fear following the activities of Amazonian soldiers from Cameroon.

The arrested commander whose name was given as General Basile was alleged to be the mastermind of all the attacks in the border communities.

Confirming the arrest on Thursday, the state Police Commissioner, Abimbola Shokoya, said the suspect was arrested in one of the communities of Kurmi local government council on Wednesday.

He said the suspect will be prosecuted as soon as preliminary investigations are completed by the command.

Stressing how the information made available to the command by some good persons led to the tracking down of the suspect, he urged others with similar information that could lead to the arrest of his gang members, to make them available to the command.

The commissioner said the suspect’s arrest will bring relief to citizens of both countries where the criminal is alleged to have concubines.

Before the arrest, the chairman of the Kurmi council, Amamzalla John Danladi Joseph, had on several occasions alerted the world of the massive presence of Amazonian soldiers in his council.

It would be recalled that a community in Takum council, was recently crushed by the Amazonian soldiers where no fewer than ten persons including a monarch were killed.

While his arrest brought joy in some parts of the council, the community where the arrest was made, has, however, been filled with fear.

Some persons from the community who spoke with newsmen, said the gang members of the arrested commander have threatened to attack the community if their commander is not urgently released.

Dispelling their fears, the commissioner encouraged them to go about their legitimate business as measures to bring all the gang members to their knees, have been mapped out.