The Police in Taraba have arrested three persons for allegedly stealing relief materials meant for victims of the June 17, Mambilla attacks.
The items were sent to the victims by the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA.
The Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of the Police Command in the state, David Misal, confirmed the arrest to newsmen in Jalingo on Thursday.
Mr Misal, a police ASP, said that the suspects, George Kataps, Misa Abba and Tanko Sambo were arrested in Gembu, headquarters of Sardauna Local Government Area.
They were allegedly found to have stolen about 30 bundles of roofing sheets and many bags of cement that were sent by the state government to assist the victims of the attacks in rebuilding the destroyed houses.
He said the Police in the area, who acted on a tip-off, traced the stolen items to the shop of one Emeka Ikenga, a trader in the town who received the items from the suspects.
Misal said that the Commissioner of Police had directed that the case be transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, in the Command headquarters, Jalingo, for further investigation.
The state government had through SEMA sent in 1000 bags of cement, 1000 bundles and several bags of nails as relief to victims of the Mambilla attacks.
But it was later discovered that a substantial part of the materials which were stored at the Palace of the Chief of Mambilla, was pilfered.
NAN
