How Nigerian bandits killed 6 soldiers, over 34 others during Sallah attack on Taraba Community

A serving lawmaker representing Taraba Southern Senatorial District in Nigeria, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (APC), has confirmed that over 40 persons were killed during the Sallah break by terrorists in the southern part of Taraba State.

Mr Emmanuel stated this on Wednesday while speaking at the plenary

He said the assailants entered his constituency with motorbikes, popularly known as Okada, and killed the people, including the soldiers and police officers mobilised to avert the attack.

Another lawmaker who corroborated this information at the plenary on Wednesday was a member representing Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency of Taraba State in the House of Representatives, Danjuma Shiddi.

Shiddi said the village was razed by the rampaging bandits who maimed and displaced hundreds of locals.

He said many communities in Takum had come under heavy attacks by bandits, the latest being the Tuesday attack on Tati village during which the six soldiers and a policeman were killed.

Likewise, the state police command has equally confirmed that an army officer, Lt Col Eminike, is missing while six soldiers and a mobile police officer were killed during a clash between Kutep and Fulani herdsmen at Tarti area in the Takum Local Government Area of the state.

DSP Usman Abdullahi disclosed this to Daily Trust in Jalingo on Wednesday. According to him, Mr Eminike was the Commander leading operations in the trouble area.

He said the killing came one month after three policemen were killed in Takum during a clash between Kutep and Jukun during Kutep’s annual cultural festival.

Abdullahi claimed that Kutep and Fulani militia were responsible for killing the soldiers and the mobile policeman.

Abdullahi said militia from both sides had engaged one another over the weeks and the situation worsened on Tuesday, leading to the deployment of more soldiers and policemen.

But he could not ascertain the number of people killed during the clash.

Meanwhile, Senate President Ahmad Lawan has urged Nigerians to keep assisting the military by providing them with the needed motivation and information to enable them to tackle insecurity in the country.

The House of Representatives also instructed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya, and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to deploy more personnel to secure Takum LGA and adjoining communities in Taraba State which had come under siege by bandits.

It also urged the intelligence agencies to fish out the sponsors of bandits, and the National Emergency Management Agency to assist members of the affected communities.