State of blood: Taraba villagers massacred without mercy

DDM News

A mass burial was held on Saturday for scores of villagers massacred in a deadly attack on Munga Lalau and Munga Doso, both located in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) can confirm that grief and panic have swept across the affected communities following what survivors described as a calculated and gruesome assault believed to have been carried out by suspected herdsmen.

According to eyewitness reports, the carnage began at around 2:00 a.m. on Friday when over 50 armed men stormed the villages on motorcycles.

Villagers, most of whom were asleep, were caught completely unaware as the attackers opened fire indiscriminately.

Survivors say the attackers wielded AK-47 rifles and machetes, killing residents, burning homes, and causing widespread devastation.

A soldier involved in rescue efforts revealed that 42 bodies had been recovered by Saturday, with fears the number could rise as more people remain missing.

Local youth leader Suleiman Joel told reporters that corpses were still being pulled from the debris and burnt homes as of Saturday afternoon.

He lamented that many of the victims had only recently returned to their ancestral lands after previous attacks, trusting in promises of improved security.

“What we witnessed wasn’t a random act of violence,” he said. “This was an organised slaughter aimed at exterminating our people.”

Another survivor, Soja Emmanuel, described the chaos and fear that erupted when the attack began.

“We ran into the forest, but not all of us made it back. Some are still missing,” he said.

The attackers reportedly moved house to house, torching buildings and executing those they encountered.

Many residents spent Friday night hiding in the forest or nearby mountains, afraid to return home until the gunfire ceased.

“We all slept in the bush yesterday,” one villager said during a sob-filled phone interview.

“The sound of gunshots was unlike anything we’ve heard before. This was more than the usual herdsmen menace.”

On Saturday, villagers gathered for a communal funeral, assisted by security personnel who helped with evacuations and logistics.

The atmosphere was heavy with mourning as bodies wrapped in shrouds were lowered into hastily dug graves.

A visibly shaken elder, Augustine Munga, who lost two brothers in the attack, called on government at all levels to wake up to its responsibilities.

“Our people are not animals. We are citizens,” he said. “Yet we are being hunted like game in our homes.”

He demanded urgent intervention, including increased security presence and swift justice for the perpetrators.

Another resident suggested the assailants may have been hired mercenaries, accusing local herders of using proxies to terrorise farming communities.

He noted the attackers’ discipline, firepower, and strategic approach as indications that this was not a spontaneous raid.

According to him, “This was a well-coordinated mission. They moved in groups, targeting homes systematically. It looked like a military operation.”

As of Sunday morning, security patrols had been intensified across the affected areas, though residents say fear continues to grip the communities.

Many villagers have fled again, uncertain whether another attack could come at any moment.

Some survivors who returned to their burnt homes said they were greeted by ashes, bloodstains, and the memories of loved ones lost.

One man, who lost four relatives, said there is no confidence left in the state’s ability to protect its people.

“We have called and cried for years. Still, nothing changes,” he said. “We are tired of burying our own.”

The Taraba State Government has yet to issue a detailed statement regarding the attack.

Attempts to reach the police for comments were unsuccessful as of press time.

Residents are now pleading for federal assistance, both in security deployment and humanitarian relief, as food, shelter, and medical supplies are desperately needed.

Analysts say the persistent cycle of violence in Taraba and neighbouring states signals a deeper national security challenge.

The Munga massacre comes as a grim reminder of the rising rural insecurity facing Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where conflicts between farmers and herders have morphed into complex armed crises.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) will continue to follow developments in Karim-Lamido and other vulnerable communities across the country.

As of now, the grief is fresh, the questions are many, and the answers are nowhere in sight.

But one thing is certain: a nation that cannot protect its most remote and defenceless citizens stands on shaky ground.

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