Fulani Herdsmen Kill Nine in Fresh Attack

Just as peace and normalcy gradually return to the crisis-prone Wukari in Taraba State, nine people were confirmed killed on Sunday by Fulani herdsmen in separate attacks on two villages of the ancient town.

The attacks, which occurred in the early hours of the day, took place simultaneously in Sondi and Gidin Waya, less than 10 kilometres from the main city of Wukari.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Joseph Kwaji, told journalists that seven people were killed in Sondi by the attackers while two were killed in Gidan Waya most of whom, according to him were children, women and elderly people.

The attacks, according to Kwaji, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), was repelled by the police who arrived at the scenes of the attacks forcing the herdsmen to flee.

Besides those killed, the PPRO further disclosed that 12 people sustained varying degrees of injuries in Sondi while one person was injured at Gidin Waya just as several houses were set ablaze in the two villages.

He, however, noted that the situation in the two villages has been brought under control and normalcy has returned to the areas.
However, speaking in a telephone interview , National President of the Nigeria Association of Wapan Students (NAWAS), Tsokwa Addanti Ajidik, said that the attackers stormed the village at about 8a.m in army uniforms and started shooting sporadically at the residents, killing 14 people in the process.

He, however, disclosed that the gunmen had informed the people that they’ll carry out the attack on Sondi yesterday and wondered why the attack could not be prevented.

Despite several efforts by the state government to restore peace to troubled areas in the state, attacks on innocent people particularly the Tiv people are still being carried out in several areas in the state, forcing many of them to reside in internally displaced people’s camps especially in Bali local government area.