Barely a week after a high-level security meeting between the governors of Taraba and Benue states, tragedy struck in the Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State, as suspected armed herders ambushed farmers, leaving two dead and several others injured.
The attack occurred on Monday at Tse-Ukwe community, situated between Takum and Wukari, two towns recently visited by governors for an on-the-spot assessment of internally displaced persons camps.
According to local sources, the victims were IDPs who had previously fled their homes due to ongoing attacks.
They were reportedly returning from their farms when the ambush occurred.
The Ter-Donga, traditional ruler of the Tiv people, Ugondu Uma, identified the deceased as 32-year-old Boniface Aondowase and 35-year-old Aondoakuea Adi, both from Tse-Kur Village.
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He said several others sustained injuries but managed to escape, with the survivors claiming they recognized the attackers as Fulani herders.
“The two people who were killed on March 9 are IDPs who had earlier been displaced by the same attackers.
“They went to their farms to collect foodstuffs, and on their way back, the attackers ambushed them at Tse-Ukwe,” Uma said.
He added that soldiers reportedly arrived at the scene later and recovered the bodies, which were handed over to the community and buried the same evening.
“Our people have already been chased away from their communities and are now taking refuge here, yet they are still being killed. Where do we run to again to save our lives?” he lamented.
Efforts to obtain an official statement from the police were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
