50 Killed in Taraba Attacks as Catholic Diocese Raises Alarm

The Catholic Diocese of Wukari has issued a distress call to the Federal Government as relentless attacks by suspected herdsmen continue to devastate farming communities across Southern Taraba, leaving more than 50 people dead in recent weeks.

In a statement released on Friday after a three-day workshop on pastoral care for traumatized IDPs, senior diocesan officials  Very Rev. Fr Anthony Bature, Very Rev. Fr Simon Akuraga, and Rev. Fr Moses Angyian painted a harrowing portrait of nearly three decades of unrestrained violence.

According to the Diocese, more than 3,000 people have been killed, 335 rural communities and churches destroyed, and over 300,000 residents displaced. Many of the victims are widows, orphans, and children now confined to overcrowded camps with little protection or humanitarian support.

The clergy described the perpetrators as “marauding terrorists” wielding sophisticated weapons who invade villages, slaughter residents, destroy farmlands and homes, and occupy deserted settlements.

The latest wave of violence has surged across Ussa and Takum Local Government Areas (LGAs), with at least 30 killed in Ussa and more than 40 in Takum. Communities including Kwanta, Dooshima, Tsejor, Agenga, Yongoba, Kapsitswa, Wakan, and Kwabu I & II have reportedly been overrun, forcing terrified families to flee through forests to survive.

Despite repeated assurances from the Federal Government to end widespread killings, the Diocese warned that the situation in Southern Taraba has deteriorated further. They lamented that security operatives often arrive only after the attackers have vanished into the difficult terrain.

The Diocese urged all levels of government to move swiftly to stop the bloodshed, secure vulnerable communities, deliver emergency relief, and ensure treatment for the wounded. They stressed that “peaceful agrarian communities must not be uprooted just to feed cows.”

They further appealed to the Federal Government to remain “open to help from wherever it can come” to halt the continued carnage.

Confirming the renewed violence, Taraba State Commissioner of Police, CP Betty Otimenyin, acknowledged that the unpredictability of the attacks and the challenging terrain have hindered rapid response. Unconfirmed reports also indicate that the Commandant of 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Gen. Kingsley Uwa, has issued stern warnings and pledged decisive action.