Taraba Residents Flee Town Over Militia Attack

Bakare LukmanJune 24, 2019

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Residents of Sondi town in Wakari, Taraba State, have fled their town following an attack by suspected armed militia who stormed the town on Friday, killing people.

The attackers allegedly crossed into the area from Benue State in the night. The attacks which lasted till Saturday had trapped many, especially women and children in the town, Daily Trust reports.

Soldiers sent from Takum were said to have provided safe passage on Saturday morning to those trapped, just as they are now in Wukari headquarters of the local government.

One of the survivors of the attack, Jibrin Yahaya, explained that the attack was devastating as “many” were people killed and “over 50 houses” razed.

He added that the authority was downplaying the scope of the attack and the number of people killed.

According to him, it is better for Taraba State government to leave out politics of the Jukun/Tiv crisis otherwise the Jukun will continue to lose its people.

He said both Taraba and Benue state governments must find an immediate solution to the conflict.

Mallam Yahaya said it was the soldiers that helped those trapped moved to Wukari adding that the town is almost a ghost town now.

On the onslaught on Chunko, another Jukun town which was attacked last week, it was gathered that the attackers not only burned Chunko chief’s palace, and a police station but also cut all economic trees in the town.

David Misal, spokesman for the Taraba police command, confirmed the attack on Sondi but said only one person was killed during the attack.