About eleven people were killed yesterday in Taraba State, following a fierce battle between farmers and Fulani herders.
The killing followed the breakdown of several peace accords between the warring parties aimed at ending killings in the state. The upheaval, which occurred yesterday in Gassol Local Council was also said to have led to displacement of several people. Sources said about eleven people were killed in the reprisal attack between the Tiv and the Fulani ethnic groups in the council.
According to the source, the reprisal attack followed an attack on a Fulani herder, who was robbed and killed on his way from Sansani market by suspected Tiv criminals. One of the victims of the attack said apart from the killing of his brother, the whereabouts of two of his female daughters are yet to be known. The victim, who gave his name as Korbee David, urged the state government to, as a matter of urgency, restore normalcy to enable them search for their missing loved ones.
He said that the villagers had earlier recovered six corpses, while the Vigilante group assisted in recovery of additional four dead bodies. The victim said: “I passionately plead with the concerned authorities to wade in. As I am talking with you right now, several members of our community are still missing. “I cannot actually tell the exact numbers of casualties now because the Fulanis are still going about hunting and killing people on their farms.”
Confirming the report, the Chief of Bantaje Chiefdom, Yahaya Abubakar Rufai, said some persons were killed at the border between Gassol and Wukari Local Council. The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abdullahi Usman, did not pick or return several calls put through his known mobile telephone numbers for confirmation. MEANWHILE, the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) has confirmed killing of three of its staff members in Okoroma community of Nembe Local Council of Bayelsa State by suspected sea pirates.
Three of the Agip staff members and some personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were ambushed close to the Obama oil flow station by rampaging sea pirates while embarking on repair works of some facilities on Sunday. One NSCDC personnel and three Agip staff were confirmed dead. NAOC, in a statement issued via electronic mail, confirmed that “With deep sorrow Eni confirms that a group of Eni contractors accompanied by security operatives were attacked by an armed group causing as far as we know three fatalities and two injuries.” They also confirmed that those killed were part of the contractors working with the oil multinational on a Mangrove Restoration project, which envisages the restoration of mangroves in the Swamp area of Nigeria,” the project is being seriously damaged by illegal refineries and spills due to sabotage.”