Suspected gunmen have tragically killed eleven individuals in border communities within the Wukari local government area, which borders Taraba and Benue states. The assailants also destroyed houses and properties worth millions of naira.
The affected communities include Apiirgwa and Deke, situated in Kente Ward in the southern part of the Wukari local government area of Taraba State.
According to Tsavyaa Adeke, a community leader of Adeke, the attackers invaded Apiirgwa en masse early Saturday morning around 5:00 am, catching the victims while they were still asleep and began shooting indiscriminately.
"The villagers, upon hearing the gunshots, fled for safety, but eight people were killed on the spot, while others escaped with gunshot injuries," Adeke reported.
Mr. Aondowase Tarorshi, chairman of the Wukari local government area branch of the Tiv Cultural and Social Association, explained that eight individuals were killed in Apiirgwa village, two in Tse-Deke, a remote village about 3 kilometers from Wukari town along Wukari Kente Road, and one person was killed at Tarorshi, along Wukari Rafinka Road.
Tarorshi revealed that the lifeless bodies of the ten individuals killed in Apiirgwa and Deke were recovered and buried, while the corpse of the young man killed along Rafinka Road has yet to be recovered.
He identified the victims as Daniel Apirgwa, Saater Apirgwa, Terna Apirgwa, Nguyiman Apirgwa, Tertindi Apirgwa, Kparegh Emmanuel Apirgwa, and Mama Modi Apirgwa. The others are Myom Chiahemba Tarorshi, Tyolumun Deke, and Ternenge Deke, also known as Usman.
The attack on Apiirgwa was reported to local troops, who visited the scene and instructed the bereaved to bury the victims.
"Although Apiirgwa is a border village of Benue State, the majority of the residents are now IDPs from Taraba State," Tarorshi said. "This attack has worsened the challenges faced by the people. Thousands of youths are left restless, and children have been out of school."
Tarorshi appealed to the Governor of Taraba State, Dr. Agbu Kefas, to address the crisis and establish measures to resettle the thousands of IDPs displaced by the Jukun and Tiv crisis. "Resettling the IDPs in their homes will help control these reckless attacks that are taking the lives of our young men," he added.
Although Hon. Dauda Samaila, the local government chairman, was unavailable for comment, the State's Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Gambo Kwache, confirmed the attacks but reported only two fatalities.
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