Taraba: Fulani Herdsmen Kill 44 in Fresh Attacks

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo
No fewer than 44 persons have been killed in fresh attacks by Fulani herdsmen in Gashaka and Bali Local Government Areas of Taraba State.

Besides, over 100 people who managed to escaped death by the whisker have been displaced and rendered homeless by the herdsmen.

This is coming just as the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Shaba Alkali, told journalists that the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Solomon Arase, has approved the deployment of 60 mobile policemen from Yola in Adamawa State to Taraba to complement the officials on ground to arrest the situation.

The Senior Special Assistant to Taraba State Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Sylvanus Giwa, who confirmed the killings in a statement made available to journalists in Jalingo yesterday said 20 people were killed at Angai village while nine other people were killed at Maisuma village.

Similarly, according to the statement, nine people were killed at Dorei village by the herdsmen just as seven others were killed at Fali village.

According to the statement, trouble started when the armed herdsmen attempted to rape a lady in the community and were met with resistance by the neighbours.
The statement further noted that angered by the community’s resistance, the herdsmen proceeded to unleash terror on the people in the communities in the area killing 44 persons in the process while displacing over 100 others.

Giwa noted that the state Governor, Darius Ishaku, was deeply concerned about the development as it was a serious setback to his efforts to resettle the internally displaced persons in the state.
He however, revealed that Ishaku has vowed to eliminate any form of insurgency by evil agents under any guise across the state just as he stated that the displaced women and children are taking refuge at Mayo-Selbe, Kungana and Garbabi communities.

Meanwhile, addressing journalists in his office on the development, Mr. Shaba Alkali revealed that the IG had approved the deployment of 60 mobile policemen from Yola to join the security agents on ground to contend the situation.

The CP, who equally paraded one Ardo Ayuba who was arrested in connection with the attacks, noted that efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing culprits for prosecution just as he disclosed that the command had so far discovered 15 dead bodies from the attacked communities.