Taraba Bloodshed: Several Feared Dead as Fresh Militia Attacks Hit Karim-Lamido Communities

Violence has once again erupted in Taraba State, leaving several people feared dead after suspected armed militia launched coordinated attacks across multiple communities in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area.

The latest wave of violence reportedly began in Didango village, where gunmen ambushed a group of young men returning from a football viewing centre after watching an English Premier League match. Two of the youths were killed instantly, according to local accounts.

What started as a single attack quickly escalated into a wider security crisis. Within days, nearby villages including Gaita, Loba, and Lewatha were also hit in what residents described as coordinated and sustained assaults.

Residents say panic spread rapidly as armed attackers moved through the affected communities, forcing families to abandon their homes and flee into surrounding bushes for safety.

A resident of Mayo-Gauro, Dauda Bulus, alleged that the attackers were linked to a neighbouring community, adding that the pattern of violence suggests long-standing tensions that have repeatedly flared into deadly confrontations.

In Didango, another eyewitness claimed farmers returning from their fields were also ambushed, leaving several injured. The attacks, he said, extended beyond a single location, suggesting a broader and more organised operation.

Community sources further reported an attempted assault on Gurum village near the Kodai area on Tuesday night. That attack was reportedly repelled by local vigilante groups who had stepped up patrols following earlier incidents.

Residents say the repeated violence has turned farming seasons into periods of fear, disrupting livelihoods in an area where agriculture remains the main source of income.

Abubakar Adamu, a local resident, described the situation as increasingly unstable, warning that ongoing attacks threaten both food security and long-term peace in the region despite several attempts at community dialogue.

He said many peace meetings have failed to stop the cycle of violence, with attacks often returning during critical farming and harvest periods when villagers are most vulnerable.

Security authorities have yet to release an official statement on the latest incidents, while the exact number of casualties remains unclear as investigations continue.