One soldier is feared dead while several civilians were critically injured in the latest attacks by unknown gunmen in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State.
This brings to three the number of security personnel that were ambushed and killed in one week in the troubled area.
The Nigeria Standard learnt that there is a similarity in the pattern of attacks that have been occurring in the same axis and which have been committed by yet to be identified gunmen.
Just last week, unknown gunmen suspected to be Fulani militias had ambushed and killed two immigration officers in Takum LGA of Taraba State.
The immigration officers were said to have been attached to Ussa Local Council checkpoint and were identified as Inspectors Adike Austin and Uzo James.
Also, in November 2022, 6 defence forces personnel and a Commanding Officer were killed in the troubled area when the forces intervened in the clash between the Kuteb ethnic group and Fulani.
Narrating what happened, a resident of the area, KM Kasman, said the soldier was ambushed and killed while returning from his duty post in a similar manner to last week’s episode involving the immigration officers.
“He left his duty post and, on his way, back to the barracks. His duty post is in Kashimbila Power Station. He was on a motorcycle, and he ran into an ambush by some Fulani men. They picked his gun and his footwear. An ethnic Kuteb and Tiv man also fell into the ambush, and they survived with machete cuts. It was in the same place the immigration officers were ambushed and killed,” he disclosed.
According to him, the troubled area was surrounded by Fulani herdsmen and that it was highly risky to travel out of the general area.
“You can’t travel a kilometer from Takum and come back safely. They kidnap and lay ambushes on a daily basis,” Kasman added.
He also blamed the security personnel for being complicit in the crisis.
“One surprising thing is that on every market day, the army escorts the Fulani with their cows to the market to sell. From Mararaba to Kashimbilla through Kwanbai down to Takum Cattle Market. It is like the army is using the crisis to make money. The armed forces- the army and police, it is like they are helping the Fulani to grow stronger,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, the Kuteb nation has risen against the endless bloodshed in their land.
In a press conference held on Tuesday in Jalingo, the Kuteb Yatgso of Nigeria (KYN), lamented the killing and displacement of their people.
According to the President of KYN, Emmanuel Ukwen, as the killings continued, school and farming activities have stopped.
He described the crisis as having a political undertone and that the forthcoming census exercise might be affected in the area.
“Dozens of innocent citizens have been killed by bandits in Takum, Ussa and Yangtu. Equally, thousands of people have been displaced from their homes.
“I want the whole world to know that about 80% of Kuteb people are farmers and with the current wave of attacks if care is not taken to stop the conflict, farming activities may be grounded and famine will be inevitable in Takum, Ussa and Yangtu.
“School activities have stopped in the affected areas for over one year now. There is no free movement of persons in the affected areas because one could be attacked at any point.
“Since early last year, our people have been displaced in their thousands from their homes as a result of bandit’s attack. They can neither go back to their homes because of insecurity nor census staff dare go to the affected areas to carry out housing census,” Ukwen lamented.
He therefore called on the National Population Commission to look into the people’s predicament and ensure that the affected areas are not left out during the forthcoming “headcount”.
The Military Spokesman in Taraba, Lt. O. Oni did not confirm the incident but said military operations were ongoing in the general area.
“Military operations are currently ongoing in the area. But for now, I can’t ascertain if there is any such incident.
“Ussa has been in the news. There have been communal clashes in the general area. So after the operation, we can get facts and figures,” he stated.
