By John Mkom
Over 11 persons have been killed and 15,000
others displaced in the herdsmen and farmers'
clash in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba
State.
Zaki David-Gbaa, the Chairman of Council of Tiv
Traditional Rulers Forum in Taraba, who
disclosed this at St. Paul's Catholic Church's
camp for the Internal Displaced Persons, IDPs, in
Bali town, headquarters of Bali Local
Government, claimed that 11 farmers had died
since the crisis started.
According to him, scores of people injured in the
five villages are receiving treatment at the Bali
General Hospital.
The local chief said 1,765 people displaced by
the crisis were taking refuge in three centres in
Bali.
Chief Gbaa said the dispute started among the
Tiv and Ichen people of Megoge village in Bali
when an Ichen man was reportedly killed by
unknown persons in his house.
He said: "The victim's kinsmen accused the Tiv
people of the crime, leading to the fight among
the people of Megoge."

He said he cannot fathom how the herdsmen
came into the crises.
David-Gbaa, who conducted newsmen round Tiv
Council Hall, IDPs Camp, St. Paul's Catholic
Church IDPs Camp and NKST Church IDPs camp,
all in Bali town, disclosed that the people in the
camps were passing through untold hardship.
Widow of the Kindred Head of Ikyo village, who
was killed alongside his son in the attacks, Mrs.
Mwuese Ajia Kyo, said: "The entire village was
calm without any crisis among the Tiv and
herdsmen until Sunday night, when some
herdsmen invaded my husband's house in the
middle of the night with heavy arms.
"My husband and son were slaughtered. I am
appealing to the government to take adequate
security measures to stop the insecurity
problems within our community, because we are
farmers and not familiar with arms."
On his part, Lamido Bakundi, Alhaji Misa Gidado,
in whose domain the crisis broke out, told
newsmen that series of meetings with
stakeholders were on to end the crisis
Gidado appealed to the state government to
deploy more security operatives to the area to
restore peace.
... . as police confirm 3 dead in fresh attacks
The Taraba Police Command, yesterday,
confirmed the death of three persons in fresh
conflict in Bali Local Government.
The command's spokesman, ASP David Misal,
told newsmen in Jalingo that police had
deployed additional personnel to Gazabu,
Kungana, Tukun Ruwa, Utsua Daa and Kpenkpen
villages, where the crisis occurred.
He said: "We received reports that since Sunday,
there has being series of attacks in remote
communities in Bali Local Government, but the
command is on top of the situation.
"Due to the remoteness of the affected areas, we
can confirm three deaths for now. But we will get
back to you as soon as we get more updates."