Taraba Monarch Killed In Mecca Stampede

Zing local government area was the most peaceful among the 16 local government areas of Taraba State until  the news of the death of the Kpanti Zing, the paramount ruler of the chiefdom, Abbas Ibrahim, who died in Mecca, was announced.
The Kpanti Zing is one of the first class chiefs in Taraba. He is also the head of third class chiefs and other local chiefs in Zing local government area of the state.

Ibrahim  was the 6th Kpati Zing and spent 19 years on the throne before his demise in Mecca. The monarch had led Taraba pilgrims as the Amiru Hajj of Taraba. Ibrahim was among those who lost their lives in the stampede that occurred during the Hajj in Mecca. When the news of the death filtered into the palace, Zing was thrown into mourning. As tradition demands, the processes of picking the successor commenced as soon as the news of the death broke. A  tussle ensued between Christians and Muslims in the Ibrahim family on who should occupy the throne.
There were three contenders: Alhaji Tumba Ibrahim, Bala Ibrahim and Imam Ibrahim.
Earlier when the governor of Taraba, Darius Ishaku, visited the palace of Kpanti Zing to condole with the family over the death of the ruler, he cautioned the kingmakers against compromising the processes that would elect the new Kpanti Zing.
Subsequently, the governor, through his Permanent Secretary Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero, employed all means to ensure a hitchfree emergence of a new Kpanti Zing.
But when it became glaring that the king makers were unable to present the three contenders to the Taraba government which would, in turn, choose one to occupy the throne as provided for by the law, the governor directed the Permanent Secretary to announce acting Kpanti Zing.
Yero, in a three-paragraph press release, announced: “His Excellency, the governor of Taraba State, Arch. Darius Ishaku, has directed that the Waziri Sir Linus D. Ibrahim should act in the office of Kpanti Zing in line with the traditions guiding the traditional stool of Kpanti Zing”. He stated that the state government was putting the machinery in place  on the election of a new Kpanti Zing. The state government also Imposed 12 hours (6 pm to 6 am) curfew on the town, the headquarters of Zing local government area to ensure law and order.