Several persons are reportedly killed and property destroyed in renewed ethnic hostilities between the Karimjo and Wurkun ethnic groups in Karim Lamido local government area of Taraba State.
A local source told Daily Sun that the death toll could be more than twenty persons.
Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The command’s spokesperson DSP Usman Abdulahi who confirmed the development said, the violence started at the early hours of Saturday when the Karimjo ethnic group launched a heavy attack on the Wurkun ethnic.
The command PPRO, however said, number of casualties were yet be ascertained but a joint security team of military and the police have been drafted to the area to calm the situation.
Abdullahi told correspondent that the fresh crises between the two ethnic which skyrocketed on Saturday morning started in form of “guerrilla attacks.”
“In the last few days, there have been pockets of guerrilla attacks between Karimjo and the Wurkun people in the area. It has been either the Karimjos attack the Wurkuns and the Wurkuns attack in return or, the Wurkuns attack the Karimjos and they also attack in return before the Karimjos eventually launched a heavy one on the Wurkuns at around 3:am on Saturday”. Abdulahi the command PPRO confirmed.
Meanwhile, locals under the umbrella of Wurkun Youth Ambassador World Wide, condemned the attack on their people and appealed to governor Agbu Kefas to deploy more security personnel to restore normalcy in the area.
The group spokesperson, Amb. seth Samuel sule, narrated that the attackers attacked, Garin Marwa, Sarkin Kudu, Sallamin Kala and Yashi pena Communities, all belonging to the Wurkun on the same Saturday morning attack.
According to him, yet to be ascertained number of people have been killed, over 3000 displaced while properties, farm crops and animals belonging to the Wurkuns worth millions of naira have been destroyed.
While recalling how they have been coexisting with the Karimjo people and even how the Wurkns housed the Karimjos in the 1996 crisis between Fulani and Karimjo, Amb. Samuel on behalf of the Wurkun Youth, wondered why the Karimjos have decided to attack and killed the peace loving Wurkuns.
Our Correspondent reports that, the latest killings and destruction of properties in the state is coming barely a week after governor Agbu Kefas met with traditional rulers and heads of security agencies on the need to foster peace and attract development in the state.
There have been growing tensions between the two ethnic groups following a Chieftaincy tussle that started towards the end of the last administration in the state.
SUN NEWS
