Barely a week after the peace meeting in Abuja between the Jukun and the Tiv at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari, gunmen suspected to be militias in the early hours of Wednesday attacked and killed two people in Yongogba village in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State.

A local resident, Mr. Kester Iorhemba told our correspondent on the phone that the attackers who invaded the village from Takum burnt the entire village and looted valuable property.

According to Iorhemba, the attackers riding on motorcycles and two Toyota Hilux vans, invaded the village at about 8:45 am killing two people, with scores still missing.

He explained that the attackers who came through TY Danjuma farm killed two people who were already on their farms before proceeding to burn the entire village.

The eyewitness who said the casualty figure might be higher as many people were already on the farm along the route the attackers came, called on Governor Darius Ishaku who had said he had the capacity to end the killings in Taraba to do so immediately.

“I was on my way to the farm when I sighted two Toyota Hilux vans and motorcycles advancing towards our village. I couldn’t call the people back home because of poor network.

“Many people are still missing and I am sure many of those missing might have been killed by the attackers who came in their numbers.

“Our governor who recently kicked against a commission of inquiry into the crisis, said he had the ability to solve the problem, so I want to plead with him to end these killings.”

Police Public Relations Officer of the state, ASP David Misal, could not return calls put to him and a text message sent to his phone for confirmation.

Our correspondent recalls that the Taraba State governor, Darius Ishaku recently turned down the request by his Benue State counterpart, Governor Samuel Ortom that the Federal government should constitute a panel of inquiry to investigate the actual causes of the perennial crisis between the Jukun and Tiv in a bid to bringing a lasting solution to the problem.

Gov Ishaku told our correspondent that he was capable of handling the crisis and ending the hostilities without interference from the Federal or Benue State governments. (Daily Sun)

Update news