By Nahum Sule, Jalingo
A violent attack by suspected herders on Wednesday night has left one person dead and over 100 houses destroyed in the Bandawa Gwenzu community, comprising Gwenzu, Langwanshin, and Danzhan villages, in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Ishaya Peter, the youth leader of the community, described the assault as “unprovoked, barbaric, and condemnable” during a telephone interview with Channels Television on Thursday.
According to Peter, residents were gathered in discussion when they heard distant gunshots, prompting them to flee for safety.
He reported hearing the voices of herders and some neighbors approaching the village, with efforts to repel the attackers proving futile.
Peter noted that the community had alerted security agencies hours before the attack, but no preventive measures were taken. “We could not stand the attack because they came with guns, and we are peace-loving people without weapons except our bows, arrows, and cutlasses,” he said.
The sole fatality occurred when one resident drowned while attempting to cross a river to escape the violence. The villages have since been deserted, with women and children evacuated due to fears of further attacks. “We are still counting our losses,” Peter added.
The Taraba State Police Command has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident. This attack follows a similar assault in the Bandawa community in May 2025, which claimed three lives and left several injured.
