Taraba Farmers Ambushed by Suspected Herders: Two IDPs Killed, Community on Edge

Donga, Taraba State — Deadly violence has struck Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State, leaving two internally displaced persons (IDPs) dead and several others injured after an ambush by suspected armed herders.

The attack occurred on Monday, March 9, 2026, in Tse-Ukwe community, a locality between Takum and Wukari, barely a week after Taraba and Benue state governors convened to tackle insecurity in border communities hosting IDPs.

Victims were displaced farmers

Sources confirmed that the victims, Boniface Aondowase (32) and Aondoakuea Adi (35), were farmers previously forced to flee their homes due to repeated attacks. They were returning from their farms, where they had gone to collect food, when the assailants struck. Several other farmers sustained injuries but managed to escape.

Zaki Ugondu Uma, Ter-Donga traditional ruler of the Tiv people, told journalists:
“Those who escaped saw the attackers clearly and said they were Fulani. Our people have already been displaced once, yet they are still being killed. Where do we run to save our lives?”

The victims’ bodies were recovered by soldiers and handed over to the community for burial later that evening.

Security concerns persist

Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba and Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia had met on March 2, 2026, in Wukari to address the growing insecurity along the border, pledging collaboration and intelligence sharing to protect communities.

Despite these efforts, the latest attack has intensified fears among residents of Tor-Damsa IDP camp, where displaced persons continue to live under constant threat. The traditional ruler warned of possible fresh attacks, urging urgent government intervention.

Efforts to obtain an official response from the police were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.