“Tangale Community under attack”, TCDA cries out

By Habila Victor

Tangale Community Development Association (TCDA) has called on the Commissioner of Police and Director of State Security Service in Gombe State to as a matter of urgency arrest one Mr. Babaji Babadidi, for alleged inciting and causing a public disturbance in Billiri Local Government Area of the state.

The group accused Babadidi of sponsoring thugs to cause mayhem at the TCDA programme conducted over the weekend, stressing that the ugly plan was only averted because the TCDA members were law-abiding.

In a statement made available to Newsweb Express by its Public Relations Officer, Richard Yusuf, TCDA expressed with dismay what transpired at the venue of the programme.

The program, which was the launching of a Tangale film title “KOL BIT-BIT” which was organized in collaboration with MG Multimedia Global Movie on Saturday, the 18th of February 2023, held at the Gombe State College of Education Billiri.

According to the statement, while the stage was being set at the venue in the early hours of the day, the leadership of the Association got privileged information that some thugs were being mobilised to sabotage the programme with the backing of government apparatus.

Shortly after that, the leadership of the Association received a notice from Management of the College, to step down from participating in the activity, otherwise approval of the venue would be revoked.

The statement reads in parts; “The Tangale people, whom the TCDA represent, considered the actions as threat to the existence, practice and display of their culture. A question that begs for an answer is, why should the Tangale people be denied the right to make use of a public facility sited in their domain?”

“Upon investigation, the TCDA learnt, unfortunately, that the act was instigated by a Tangale man, one Mr. Babaji Babadidi, resident in Gombe, whose action was based on a Gombe High Court Judgement bordering on limit of powers of TCDA Patron. The said judgement had already been appealed by the TCDA and pending before the Court of Appeal in Gombe”, the group stated.

TCDA also advised the Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya to warn Babaji Babadidi and his like minds, to desist from using government apparatus and other security agencies to threaten the Association and its members, adding that their actions have over time continued to tarnish the image of the Governor’s administration in Tangale land.

The TCDA General Assembly further called on all Tangale sons and daughters to remain law-abiding, urging the youth to shun all forms of thuggery, especially as the elections approaches.

Tangale Community Development Association (TCDA) is a corporate entity registered with the Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC), whose activities are regulated by the Association’s Constitution.

The current Acting Leadership of TCDA, under Mr. P. T. Gambo was appointed by the General Assembly of the Association on 11th October 2022 in its meeting in Billiri town. Going by TCDA constitution, the General Assembly is the highest decision-making body that has final say on affairs of the Association.