Dozens of residents from Munga Lalau and Munga Doso in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State were laid to rest on Saturday, following a deadly pre-dawn assault by suspected herdsmen that claimed scores of lives.
The attackers, estimated to be over 50 and riding motorcycles, stormed the villages around 2am on Friday, opening fire on sleeping residents. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene as people fled into the bush for safety.
“So far, 42 bodies have been recovered, with several others still unaccounted for,” a soldier involved in the rescue operation told Sunday PUNCH.
Survivors recounted their trauma, including Soja Emmanuel, who said, “We didn’t know where to run. They just started shooting. Some escaped; others didn’t.”
During Saturday’s mass burial, residents were visibly grief-stricken. Community leader Augustine Munga, who lost two brothers in the attack, called on the government to take urgent action.
“This violence must end. The perpetrators must be brought to justice,” he said.
Another resident, mourning four family members, alleged the attackers were hired mercenaries.
“We slept in the bush. Our homes were burnt to the ground,” he said.
Among the victims was the husband and two relatives of Madam Sarah Bitrus.
In tears, she said simply, “My world has ended.”
Government Condemns Attack
Governor Agbu Kefas condemned the violence, describing it as “horrendous and unacceptable.”
In a statement by his media aide, Emmanuel Bello, Kefas vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable and emphasized the need for tighter collaboration between residents and security agencies.
Meanwhile, state police confirmed the attack. Acting spokesperson James Lashen said officers responded swiftly, recovering four bodies and an abandoned motorcycle. “The attackers fled.
No officers were harmed,” he said.
Violence in the North Escalates
This incident adds to a rising wave of violence in Northern Nigeria.
In the past month alone, at least 383 people have been killed across several states, including Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, Kano, and Taraba, due to a mix of banditry, communal strife, and farmer-herder clashes.
In April, coordinated attacks in Benue State left 56 people dead, while 40 were killed in Zike community, Plateau State.
Last Thursday, 57 more were killed in Borno by militants suspected to be from a Boko Haram faction, with victims bearing signs of gruesome executions.
The growing toll underscores deepening insecurity in the region and renewed calls for urgent national intervention.