Hausa, Fulani flee Taraba communities over attacks

By Joseph Khosi

Hundreds of residents of Hausa and Fulani extraction were yesterday reported to have fled their villages which came under attack from militia men in Lau LGA of Taraba State.

It was gathered  that this came after the militia suspected to be Bachama and Nyandan launched attacks on Fulani villages. Towns and villages attacked by the militia men include Abbare Santuraki, Mayolope and Nnege as well as other Fulani settlements in neighbouring Adamawa State.

The attackers were said to have  killed about 20 people. A victim, Malam Yakubu Dani, said the militia men killed four persons in his village, Santuraki, and set homes on fire.

At Mayolope, another victim, Alhaji Abdulmumuni, told Daily Trust that the militia killed four persons and burned several houses. He said residents were forced to flee the area. The attack in Lau came one month after nine Fulani people were killed by suspected Mumuye tribesmen in Yorro LGA of the state.

A spokesman of the Hausa community, Alhaji Jibo, said the killings were unprovoked, despite the deployment of security agents to the area. He said no arrest was made at the time of gathering the report, even as the attackers moved freely.

Police spokesman, ASP David Misel, said more policemen had been drafted to the area to restore normalcy, adding that he could not immediately give a casualty figure.