Renewed Herdsmen Attacks in Southern Taraba Kill, Displace Thousands

Church leaders and community groups in Southern Taraba State have raised alarms over a surge of violence allegedly carried out by armed herdsmen, leaving multiple dead and forcing the abandonment of entire villages under the Catholic Diocese of Wukari.

Rev. Fr. John Laikel, Director of Social Communications for the diocese, described the situation as “devastating,” revealing that many rural parishes have been deserted following repeated assaults. “It is disheartening that attacks on innocent citizens keep happening despite government promises to stop the killings,” he lamented.

Fr. Laikel accused the attackers of not only killing and burning homes but also grazing their cattle on farmlands and occupying deserted settlements. He called on federal, state, and local authorities to act, noting that some affected areas are near military bases in Takum Local Government Area.

Rev. Fr. George Dogo, Parish Priest of Holy Family Catholic Church, Takum, criticized security operatives for their “indifference” despite repeated warnings. “When we alert security agencies, they often complain about a lack of personnel or fuel. Meanwhile, innocent people are being killed daily, villages burned, and survivors left with horrific injuries,” he said.

The Taraba Tiv Youth Development Forum reported that over 1,000 families have been displaced and millions of naira in property destroyed since the violence resumed last week. In a statement, the forum urged Governor Agbu Kefas to deploy additional security personnel, establish more military outposts, and provide emergency relief including food, medical supplies, and shelter.

The forum also called for the arrest of perpetrators and their sponsors and appealed to the federal government and international partners to classify Taraba as a priority state under the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) to curb recurring herder-farmer conflicts.