At least 11 people were killed and several others displaced when terrorists, locally referred to as bandits, on Friday evening attacked communities in Yantu and Ussa in Ussa Local Government, Taraba State.
Communities in Southern Taraba, where these two towns are located, have a history of attack by non-state actors.
A resident of Yantu, Yakubu Tinya, who narrowly escaped the mayhem, told PREMIUM TIMES that several villages in Ussa town, including Ribasi, Nyichu and Ruyah, were attacked on Friday. He said nine people were killed.
He said another person was also killed in the Tukwog community along Takum- Manya road.
“They came in numbers to separate communities around 6 p.m. and killed anyone on sight. Some people were attacked right on their farms, some on their way back, some in their houses.
“They attacked me and my two brothers and killed one of us. Some of them are Fulanis, but some do not look like Nigerians. They appeared to us at a very close range,” Mr Tinya said.
Peter Shamwun, the chairman of Ussa Local Government confirmed the attack. He said the bandits laid siege along Takum- Ussa road to kill more people.
He said the bandits also attacked the Kpambo Yashe community and killed one person.
The chairman appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Agbu Kefas to urgently send security operatives to the area.
“Information available to me now is that the bandits have laid siege along Takum-Ussa road and other areas around Yantu to kill more people.
“I do not know why the bandits have decided to concentrate in the area and have been operating freely without being antagonised by the security operatives. From where a man was killed yesterday evening in Ussa to the military barracks in Takum, is not up to a kilometre.
“The continued attack on the people has brought so much food insecurity. My people are being attacked anytime they go to the farm. We are at the mercy of bandits. I want both the state and federal governments to intensify efforts to flush out the bandits to allow my people to farm.
“There have been issues of Fulani bandits in our area but I am suspecting that the ones operating currently in the area are those that have been chased by the military operatives in Zamfara and other states in Nigeria. They have moved to settle in some local government in Taraba,” Mr Shamwun explained.
The Spokesperson, Taraba State Police Command, Usman Abdullahi, said the incident was being investigated.
