By Saidu Adamu
Jalingo
More than 1,000 persons, mostly women and children, have been displaced from their homes following a bloody communal conflict between the tribes of Mambilla and Fulani herders across Geroji settlements, Mbamnga ward of Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Investigation by our Correspondent in the affected area, revealed that about 340 houses have been burnt down, with the victims mostly children, women and the elderly fleeing to neighboring Republic of Cameroun and nearby communities for refuge.
An unverified number of people, including a DSS personel, were said to have lost their lives while several others have gone missing based on eye witness accounts and information from some community leaders who were met on the sites of the affected area.
Ardo Bashiru, one of the community leaders who spoke to journalists during a visit to the area at the weekend, disclosed that a number of livestock including cattle and sheep have also either been killed or rustled.
Bashiru said that several families were currently facing serious humanitarian crisis as more than 340 houses sparcely scattered across the mountainous and difficult terrain of the Geroji and Mbara were completely destroyed.
“Tonnes of food stuff and other means of livelihood have been completely destroyed in the conflict that lasted for about three days from September 16th, 2026”, the community leader lamented.
He appealed for urgent intervention from governments, individuals and humanitarian agencies, because, according to him, the rainy season which was now at its peak, was taking its toll on the affected population.
He said that the victims had lost everything in the ensuing conflict leaving them with no shelter, no food and no clothing.
The most affected settlements include: Wuro Buba, Wuro Ardo Bashiru, Wuro wakili Idrisa,
Wuro saleh Petel, Wuro Hassan Jaji, Wuro Alhaji Jibo, Wuro Alhaji Manu and Wuro Mbarkal, all of them in the Gereuji community around Mbamnga area.
Chairman of Sardauna Local Government Council, Alhaji Mohammed Umar, who confirmed the incident to journalists in Gembu, headquarters of the council Area, said the conflict started from a fight between two individuals, a mambilla woman and fulani man on the farm.
Mohammed who described the incident as unfortunate, warned that anyone found disturbing the peaceful coexistence enjoyed by the residents would meet the full wrath of the law.
He said the state government has facilitated the full deployment of security forces to the trouble areas.
He disclosed that arrangements have been completed for the repatriation of refugees who fled to Nyang, Donga-Mantung Division located in the Northwest part of Cameroun.
The chairman appealed for assistance from governments, stakeholders and humanitarian agencies to come up with interventions to help in resettlement, rehabilitation and reintegration of the displaced communities.
Speaking in the same vain, Chief of Mbamnga Alhaji Abubakar Saleh also appealed for calm and called for unity among the people whom described as brothers and sisters that have lived in harmony for decades.
He assured that all hands are on deck to ensure that such conflicts, which was the first in his domain, do not happen again.
Our Correspondent reports that similar violence had taken place across the Mambilla Plateau in 2017 and 2018 when hundreds of lives and property were destroyed.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
