The Taraba State Police Command, has confirmed the abduction of eight people and the killing of one person following a violent attack on Jimlari community in Lau Local Government Area of the state.
The assailants, armed with sophisticated weapons, were confirmed to have invaded the community late at night, firing sporadically and spreading panic among residents.
Many villagers, according to eyewitnesses, were forced to flee as the attackers operated without resistance.
According to community sources, most of the abducted victims are children aged seven, 10, and 12 years.
Speaking on the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abdullahi Usman, stated that security forces have been deployed to the area.
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While no arrests have been made, he assured that efforts were ongoing to track down the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
Residents, who described the attack as unexpected, said they were unable to resist due to the firepower of the attackers.
“We were caught off guard. They were shooting indiscriminately, and because of their sophisticated weapons, we couldn’t mobilize to confront them,” one resident recounted.
In response, locals have called on the state government to urgently step up actions by deploying more security personnel to the area to prevent future attacks.
They urged authorities to also enhance collaboration with law enforcement agencies to secure the release of the kidnapped victims.
As investigations continue, pressure is mounting on the state government and security agencies to curb the growing insecurity in the region.
