No fewer than 12 Fulani herders have been reported killed and their cattle rustled by gunmen during a meeting in Zude, Pangri district of Bali Local Government, Taraba State.
It was learnt that the gunmen, hiding under the guise of vigilantes, arrived at the Fulani settlement, 30km away from Bali town, and conveyed a meeting with their host.
As gathered, the victims, a few minutes after the meeting started, were suddenly surrounded by the gunmen, who killed them and rustled their cow away from the scene.
Sources said that the cattle rustled by the gunmen from the community after killing their owners were over 800 cattle.
It was learnt that the victims’ bodies were recovered by their relatives and siblings who brought the corpses into the community with commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada.
After bodies of victims’ arrived Taraba, they were said to have been laid to rest by their family members and other residents in accordance with Islamic rites.
The Commissioner of Police for Taraba, CP Abimbola Shokoya, confirmed the incident to The Guild on Monday during an exclusive interview on Monday.
Shokoya, who disclosed that the tragedy occurred yesterday, hinted that the command has commenced investigations to unravel what transpired before and during the meeting as well as those that were responsible for the attack.
He said: “I can tell you that the incident happened yesterday and we commenced investigations on the issue to ascertain the perpetrators and I can assure you that when we are done with the investigations, it would be made public.
“I want to also appeal to the people to often join hands with the Command and give whatever information they may have to us. We assure them of their safety.
“I am also assuring them the command has adopted more novel strategies to ensure that everyone can continue to sleep with their two eyes closed”.
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