Grief engulfed the Munga Lalau and Munga Doso communities in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State over the weekend as residents buried scores of loved ones killed in a brutal overnight raid by suspected herdsmen.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Friday around 2 a.m., left the villages in ruins and residents in mourning. Witnesses reported that over 50 armed assailants stormed the communities on motorcycles, firing indiscriminately at sleeping residents and setting homes ablaze.
One of the soldiers involved in the rescue efforts reported that at least 42 bodies had been recovered, with several others still unaccounted for.
The Chairman of the Munga Youth Forum, Suleiman Joel, confirmed the devastating scale of the assault. “We are still recovering bodies, but the death toll is staggering,” he said. “This wasn’t random violence; it was a deliberate and calculated attack. Many of those killed had only just returned to the village after being assured of their safety.”
Residents who survived the ordeal recounted terrifying scenes of gunfire and chaos. Armed with AK-47s and machetes, the attackers moved from house to house, killing anyone they encountered.
“They came without warning and started shooting,” said survivor Soja Emmanuel. “People fled into the surrounding bushes, but some were caught and killed. Others never made it out.”
On Saturday, as the mass burial took place in Munga Lalau under the supervision of military and other security personnel, emotions ran high. Families, overwhelmed with grief, struggled to come to terms with their losses.
A community elder, Augustine Munga, who lost two brothers in the attack, called for urgent government action. “We cannot continue like this,” he said. “The killers must be found and brought to justice. Our people deserve to live in peace.”
Another resident, who lost four family members, suggested that the attackers were backed by herdsmen. “What we experienced was beyond normal herder-farmer clashes. We heard endless gunshots and had to sleep in the mountains. This morning, we returned to find our homes destroyed,” he said, his voice breaking during a phone interview.
Madam Sarah Bitrus, who lost her husband and two other relatives, could barely find the words to express her pain. Tears streamed down her face as she uttered, “My world has ended.”
Reacting to the tragedy, Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State condemned the incident, describing it as “horrific and unacceptable.” In a statement issued by his media aide, Emmanuel Bello, the governor vowed to bring those responsible to justice and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to securing communities across the state.
He emphasized the need for residents to collaborate closely with security agencies by remaining vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity. While urging people to stay calm, he assured them that everything was being done to prevent future attacks.
The state police spokesperson, James Lashen, confirmed the assault and identified the suspected perpetrators as herdsmen. “Yes, there was an attack on Munga community,” he said. “Our officers responded swiftly. The attackers fled after a brief exchange, leaving behind a motorcycle. Four bodies were recovered, and thankfully, there were no casualties among our officers.”
This latest tragedy is part of a disturbing pattern of escalating violence across northern Nigeria. The region has experienced a sharp increase in deadly assaults, driven by a complex mix of criminal banditry, religious and ethnic tensions, and conflicts between farmers and herders.
In just one month, over 380 people have been reportedly killed in similar attacks. The worst-hit states include Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, Kano, and Taraba. The death toll continues to rise as communities are ravaged by these coordinated acts of terror.
One of the most devastating recent incidents occurred in Benue State in mid-April, where at least 56 people were murdered in coordinated attacks on Ukum and Logo local government areas. Around the same time, 40 individuals were killed in Zike, a community in Plateau’s Bassa LGA, after heavily armed men launched a surprise raid.
Borno State also witnessed unspeakable horror just days ago when 57 residents were killed in an attack linked to the Boko Haram faction, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad. Eyewitnesses described horrific scenes, with many bodies found bearing bullet wounds and slit throats.
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