Rampaging bandits on Friday evening attacked and killed 11 people in Yantu and Ussa local government Communities of Taraba state.
The bandits, according to locals, attacked and killed nine people in Rubur Ribasi, Nyicwu and Ruwah Communities of Yangtu Special Development Area around 6:Pm.
Mr. Yakubu Tinya, who narrowly escaped the attack, told Nigerian Tribune that the attackers also killed one person at Tukwog Community, along Takum-Manya road.
“They came in numbers to separate Communities around 6:pm and killed anyone on sight. Some people were attacked right on their farms, some on their way back, some in their houses.
“They attacked me and my two brothers and killed one of us. Some of them are Fulanis, but some do not look like Nigerians. They appeared to us at a very close range,” Mr. Tinya narrated.
Meanwhile, Amb. Peter Shamwun, the Ussa local government council chairman who confirmed the attack to Nigerian Tribune on Saturday, also raised the alarm that the bandits have laid siege along Takum- Ussa road to kill more people.
According to the council chairman, the bandits also attacked Kpambo Yashe community in Ussa local government and killed one person.
The chairman appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Agbu Kefas to urgently draft a team of joint tax force (JTF), comprising the military, police and the Vigilantes to flush out the bandits in the area.
“Information available to me now is that the bandits have laid siege along Takum-Ussa road and other areas around Yantu to kill more people. I do not know why the bandits have decided to concentrate in the area and have been operating freely without being antagonised by the security operatives. From where a man was killed yesterday evening in Ussa to the military barracks in Takum, is not up to a kilometre.
“The continued attack on the people has brought so much food insecurity. My people are being attacked anytime they go to farm. We are at the mercies of bandits, I want both the state and federal governments to intensify efforts to flush out the bandits to allow my people farm.
“There has been issues of Fulani bandits in our area but I am suspecting that the ones operating currently in the area are those that have been chased by the military operatives in Zamfara and other states in Nigeria. They have moved to settle in some local government in Taraba if not antagonize”. The council chairman decried.
However, Taraba state police command, through the (PPRO), Usman Abdullahi said the incident was still under investigation.