Armed Fulani men attack Taraba community, kill traditional ruler,others

Armed Fulani men on Monday evening attacked Karmen community in Ibi local government area of Taraba State and killed a local traditional ruler.

The caretaker chairman of Ibi local government council, Hon. Bala Bako, confirmed the attack and killing in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Jalingo.

Bako told our correspondent that the Fulani gunmen struck when the people of the community gathered for a security meeting.

“We have some security challenges in Ibi and we have been making efforts to ensure that ethnic groups in our domain accommodate and live in peace with one another.

“The Chief of Ibi also set up a committee which has been meeting to find solution to the security challenges, and it was in one of the meetings that the Fulani gunmen attacked and killed the traditional ruler.

“They gathered and were waiting for us for the security meeting when suddenly armed Fulani men emerged and started shooting. The local chief was killed during the attack, using Fulani sticks, by the attackers,” he said.

The Caretaker Chairman who said he mobilised security men who went and evacuated the corpse said, one person was arrested in connection with the killing and investigation into the attack was ongoing.

Speaking on the killing of eight other persons in Gishiri and Dooshima villages and one other at Danwaza village a week ago, Bako said the killers were the Fulani gunmen who attacked the neighbouring Benue State in Logo and Guma local government areas.

“We share border with Benue and Nasarawa states and most times these Fulanis crossed from Nasarawa, attack and go back, but we are trying to close all the routes they are using to cross and attack us.

“The killing in Dooshima and Gishiri around Sarkin Kudu were done by those people who attacked Benue. On their way back to Nasarawa, they killed anyone they met on the way, ” he said.

It could be recalled that attacks on several communities across Taraba in the past weeks left at least 68 people dead in Lau, 11 in Wukari and 6 in Gassol local government areas of the state.