Dozens of people were reported killed in two separate attacks by armed gangs in northeastern Nigeria, according to local state officials and eyewitnesses. Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas confirmed that “scores of people reportedly lost their lives and properties” in the Karim Lamido district during the early hours of Saturday.
While the governor did not provide an exact figure, local residents from the villages of Munga and Magani indicated that the death toll could be close to 30. One villager, Moses Kefas, recounted the harrowing events of the night. “It was midnight, I heard gunshots, I woke up my brother and other people in our area,” he said. After the gunmen had departed, he discovered 16 bodies strewn across the village.
Andrew John, another resident from Munga, reported a similar scene, stating, “I have seen about 13 dead bodies in our village.” The increasing violence in this region has prompted widespread concern among residents and officials.
Governor Kefas condemned the attacks “in the strongest terms,” labeling the violence as “horrendous and unacceptable.” The district has faced prior assaults from armed gangs, commonly referred to as bandits, who notoriously attack villages, kill or abduct residents for ransom, and set homes ablaze after looting them.
This latest wave of violence adds to the troubling escalation in attacks in northeastern Nigeria, where jihadist groups have been intensifying their activities in recent weeks. The persistent threat of armed gangs poses a significant challenge to local security and stability, leaving communities in fear and mourning.
