A herdsman (File photo)
A traditional ruler in Taraba state was yesterday murdered by armed
Fulani men who invaded Karmen community in Ibi local government area of
state.
According to Punch, the caretaker chairman of Ibi local government council, Hon. Bala Bako, confirmed the attack and killing.
He said 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.