At least 15,000 people, mostly farmers, have fled their homes to IDP camps in Taraba State, in the wake of renewed attacks by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
The herdsmen, it was gathered, had launched deadly attacks on Gazabu, Kungana, Tukun Ruwa, Utsua Daa and Kpenkpen villages, among others, leaving at least 11 people dead and scores injured.
Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP David Misal, said the command had deployed more security operatives to the remote areas affected in order to check further killings.
“Yes we receive reports that since on Sunday, there has being series of attacks in the remote communities in Bali local government area of the state but the command is on top of the situation,” he said.
The police spokesman also said that due to the remoteness of the affected areas, the response is not as effective as it should have been but assured that normalcy would return to the affected areas soon.
Zaki David Gbaa, the Chief of Tiv in Bali (Ter Bali) and Chairman, Council of Tiv traditional rulers forum in Taraba, also said 11 of his people were killed by herdsmen in the crisis that wiped out Gazabu, Kungana, Tukun Ruwa, Utsua Daa and Kpenkpen villages in Bali local government area.
It is understood that crisis was triggered after an Icheen man was murdered in cold blood by unknown gunmen.
The Icheen people reportedly suspected the Tiv people to have carried out the assassination and while the leaders on both sides were discussing to resolve the issue amicably, the Fulani herdsmen who had prepared an ambush, launched the attack, which killed over eleven people.
Daily Sun gathered that during visits to some of the IDP camps in Bali local government area, a large number of people who were coming in – mostly women and children – arrived the camps with various degrees of injuries, attributed to attacks from herdsmen.
Source: Daily Sun
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