Security: 18 Killed As Gunmen Terrorise Community

Billy

At least eighteen people have been  killed in Taraba state as armed tribal militias and suspected Fulani herdsmen continue to unleash terror on Taraba communities.

Members of a tribal militia in the early hours of Monday were said to have ambushed and killed seven people fleeing Jukun-Tiv clash around the Wukari-Donga area.

A security oeprative who saw the dead bodies at burial confirmed that seven corpses were recovered and buried.

However, the Taraba state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP David Misal, who confirmed the attack but said only one person was killed and the caretaker Chairman of Donga Local Government Council, Nashuka Ipeyen, also confirmed that indeed there was an attack the attack but also denied that seven people were killed.

"I am not aware of the killing of seven persons in the area.

"The information I have indicates that there was an attack and one person was killed," Misal said.

Earlier on Monday night, armed herdsmen were said to have killed eleven persons when they attacked villages around Jalingo and Ardo Kola metropolis for the second time in two days.

The state Police public relations Officer DSP David Misal who confirmed the incident said only five persons were killed in the attack while several houses were burnt.

However,  an eyewitness Danjuma Rimande said, that eleven persons were killed and most of the bodies have been recovered as the Communities continue to searching for some of the missing persons.

"As we speak, we have recovered eleven bodies and we are still searching for other people that we can not account for.

"It is likely that the number would go up."

The attack had created panic and tension in Jalingo leading to the imposition of fourteen hours curfew in Jalingo by the Taraba state governor, Darius Ishaku, from 4pm to 6am.

Meanwhile, Kona women on Tuesday staged a massive protest against what they described as a deliberate and relentless attacks on their communities and killings of the family members by armed herdsmen.

The women who took the protest walk from Kona village to the centre of the absurdity at ATC.

The women alleged that rather  than going after the herdsmen who have been having a field day killing and destroying their homes, security operatives turn to harassing and arresting the Kona youths who only mobilised to defend their homes and demanded that the security operatives release their children that have been arrested.