Less than 12 hours after armed herdsmen attacked Rtd. Gen. TY Danjuma’s home town in Takum and wiped out a family of four, armed herdsmen in the early hours of Thursday killed five more people in the neighbouring Donga Local Government Area of the State.
An eyewitness, Mr. Solomon Adamu told our correspondent on phone that the attackers numbering over 30 invaded Utile community along Donga – Isha road, killing five persons.
“The attackers came in the early hours of today (Thursday) when people were still asleep and started shooting.
“The attacks have now spread to Shaakaa village and so far, five corpses have been recovered and the attacks are still ongoing as we speak.
“The casualty figure may rise as shooting are still going on. The areas under attack are still volatile so we could not go into other places for fear of being attacked and you know the attacks began in the night when people were still asleep, so, there is tendency that more bodies would be recovered.” he said.
Adamu added that hundreds of people were fleeing the troubled spots to Donga the headquarters of the Local Government for safety.
Chairman of Donga Local Government Area, Hon. Nashuka Ipeyen confirmed the attack to our correspondent but said he was on transit and will get back with details of the attacks and casualty figures when he arrived the Local Government Headquarters.
Police Public Relations Officer, ASP. David Missal told our correspondent that he was yet to receive briefing on the attack and promised to get back to our correspondent which he never did at the time of filing this report.
These renewed attacks in Taraba are happening despite the presence of Army personnel who are in the State on Operation ‘Ayem Akpatuma’ to mop up illegal arms and stem the incessant herdsmen and farmers’ clashes.
It could be recalled that two weeks ago Gen. TY Danjuma during the maiden convocation of Taraba State University accused the Armed Forces of colluding with bandits to kill Nigerians, urging people to rise up and defend themselves.