Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
At least eight persons are feared dead as armed militia attack Ananum, a community in Donga local government area of Taraba State, burning down the whole village.
A resident Mr Zahemen Iormanger, who narrated the unfortunate incident said the armed men arrived the village at around 8:00 am and started shooting sporadically, killing at least eight persons before they proceeded to burn down the whole village as the residents scampered for safety.
Iormanger said that as of the time of the discussion, seven bodies were found while several persons were still missing.
Meanwhile, the president-general of Tiv social cultural group in Taraba State, Mr Goodman Dahida, has called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene and bring to an end the ongoing crisis as the state government had not shown enough political will to resolve the lingering Tiv/Jukun crisis in the state that has claimed hundreds of lives and destruction of scores of villages especially in the southern part of the state.
“It is with a sorrowful heart that I address you this afternoon. The event of the last five days as regards the unfortunate happenings in Donga local government area calls for a serious concern. As you may be aware, the Tiv people in Donga local government area came under heavy attack in Mararraba last Thursday where innocent people were murdered at Mararraba Market and the surrounding Tiv villages.
“The Caretaker Chairman of Donga local government council, Mr. Nashuka Ipeyen said he saw a helicopter landing at Ananum yesterday, all in a bid to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it. As we speak, the attack is still ongoing. The entire Ananum village has been reduced to rubbles and they are currently hunting our people who fled the attack and killing them like bush animals.
“The action of Mr. Ipeyen and the unnecessary delay by the Taraba State government in implementing the joint 30-man Jukun/Tiv peace committee harmonised report which was submitted since December 2019, speaks volume.
It is now obvious that the Taraba State government is not willing to solve the Jukun/Tiv crisis which the government has constantly maintained that it is the internal affairs of the state and the state has the capacity to solve.
We, therefore, appeal to the Federal Government to as matter of urgency to intervene and bring the lingering crisis to an end,” Dahida said.
The state Police Public Relations Officer DSP David Misal said he was yet to get all the facts about the attack but promised to get back to our correspondent before the close of the day.
Our correspondent recalls that a land dispute between a Tiv and Ichen man escalated to an attack at the Mararaba market, leading to the death of over 30 persons during the weekend.