Residents of eight communities in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State are reportedly facing growing insecurity, with suspected armed groups accused of controlling access to their communities, stealing belongings and threatening those who provide information about their activities to security agencies.
The affected settlements are Kommodoro, Telejugu, Paskari, Farin-Ruwa, Dinya, Jamaga, Macijin Kirya and Chibi, all located around the borders of Taraba, Plateau and Bauchi states.
The situation was brought to public attention by a community leader, Hon. Tanko Bobbo, who said the threats had made it difficult for residents to seek intervention from security agencies.
He disclosed that 10 of the 15 people recently kidnapped in the area had returned home, but did not explain how their release was secured.
Bobbo alleged that the gunmen use forest locations in Plateau State as their operational bases, from where they cross into Taraba to raid settlements before withdrawing.
He said their activities include taking harvested farm produce, breaking into business premises and subjecting villagers to threats and intimidation.
He also alleged that women in the affected communities had suffered sexual abuse.
According to him, the armed men have warned residents against reporting their movements to security authorities, threatening to kill anyone suspected of sharing information about them.
The attacks reportedly continued on Thursday, when a farmer was shot while travelling to his farm between Jebjeb and Kampani, a settlement along the Taraba-Plateau boundary.
Another farmer was also reportedly attacked with a machete, sustaining an injury to his hand at about 9am.
Bobbo acknowledged the Taraba State Government's efforts to address the situation, particularly its mobilisation of local hunters, provision of operational logistics and deployment of security personnel to vulnerable border areas.
He said the state government was also seeking collaboration with neighbouring states to tackle the armed groups in their forest bases.
The community leader added that residents of Kommodoro had recently sought the intervention of local leaders, expressing fears that they could no longer withstand the repeated attacks and threats.
However, the police said they had not established the details of the reported incidents.
The Taraba State Police Command's spokesperson, ASP Victor Mshelizah, said the DPO in Karim-Lamido had no record of the reported incidents at the time he was contacted.
Suspected bandits take over eight Taraba communities, restrict residents' movement