Tears flowed freely on Saturday as grieving residents of Munga Lalau and Munga Doso communities in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State buried dozens of villagers killed in a midnight attack by suspected herdsmen.
The coordinated assault, which occurred around 2 am on Friday, left entire families wiped out, homes razed, and communities plunged into mourning.
Eyewitnesses say over 50 armed assailants stormed the villages on motorcycles, opening fire indiscriminately on residents who were asleep.
“We have counted 42 bodies so far, with many still missing,” a soldier involved in the rescue operation told Punch.
The Chairman of the Munga Youth Forum, Suleiman Joel, described the killings as deliberate and systematic.
His words: “These are not isolated killings. It is a calculated extermination. People who returned to their homes based on security assurances have now been killed. What do we tell their families?”
Residents recounted how the attackers, armed with AK-47 rifles and machetes, went from house to house, burning buildings and killing everyone in sight.
“We didn’t know where to run to. They came around 2 am, shooting sporadically. People jumped out of their homes into the bush. Some didn’t make it,” said survivor Soja Emmanuel.
As mass burials were conducted on Saturday under the supervision of soldiers and local security personnel, devastated families poured out their anguish.
“I lost two brothers. The government must act fast before we are all wiped out,” said Augustine Munga, a community leader.
Another grieving resident, who lost four relatives, said the attackers appeared more coordinated than usual.
“The sound of the gunshots was beyond what you expect from conventional herdsmen. We slept in the bush and returned to find our homes reduced to ashes,” he said.
Madam Sarah Bitrus, who lost her husband and two other family members, could barely speak.
“My world has ended,” she whispered through tears.
Reacting to the tragedy, Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, described the attacks as “carnage, horrendous and unacceptable.
In a statement by his media aide Emmanuel Bello, the governor vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice and reaffirmed his commitment to securing the state.
He urged residents to remain calm and to assist security agencies by reporting suspicious movements.
The acting Police Public Relations Officer, James Lashen, confirmed the attack was carried out by suspected herdsmen.
“Our men responded promptly, and during the engagement, the attackers fled, abandoning a motorcycle. We recovered four bodies. There were no casualties among our men,” he said.
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