Dozens Killed in Coordinated Attacks in Taraba Farming Villages
By Mike Odeh James
(Jalingo) At least 50 civilians—many of them Christians—have been confirmed dead and hundreds displaced after heavily armed militias, identified by witnesses as ethnic Fulani, launched coordinated attacks on Munga Lelau and Munga Dasso, two farming communities in Karim-Lamido County, Taraba State, between May 24 and 25, 2025.
At least 23 of the deceased have been identified as members of a local United Methodist Church, TruthNigeria has learned.
Bishop Ande Emmanuel, Resident Bishop of the United Methodist Church (UMC) Nigeria Episcopal Area, confirmed at least 30 Christian deaths, including 24 UMC members, between May 23 and 25.
“Over 62 homes were burned. Churches in Munga Lelau, Magami, Dosso, Bunkabu, Bunkachi, and Ngurore Jabu were reduced to rubble. We mourn and call for urgent help,” the Bishop stated in a report.
He appealed for both national and international intervention, demanding stronger protections for vulnerable rural populations.
Sectarian Assaults or Land-Dispute Clashes?
Described by survivors as a planned, ethnically motivated military-style operation, the assaults mirror a troubling pattern of violence across Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where disputes over land, religion, and ethnic identity often erupt into mass killings.
“They Came in Droves”
Emmanuel Habila, a Christian farmer and father of three from Munga Lelau, told TruthNigeria:
“I was planting far from the village when I heard gunfire—first distant, then close. I saw dozens of motorcycles, each with three armed men, shouting in Fulfulde and shooting as they rode in. Hours later, my house was gone. We counted at least 15 bodies—children, neighbors. More are missing.”
In nearby Munga Dasso, Zachary Kefas (52) described a pre-dawn assault:
“They arrived around 2 a.m. on more than 30 motorcycles. They had AK-49s and machetes and screamed, ‘Kill the infidels! Allahu Akbar! We will take over this land!’ They broke into homes, slaughtered women, children, and the elderly. It lasted two hours before security forces arrived—too late.”
Targeted Christian Communities
Munga Lelau and Munga Dasso are predominantly Christian agrarian villages, home to indigenous Jenjo, Wurkum, Bikwin, and Kona ethnic groups. Faith life revolves around churches including the United Methodist Church (UMC), ECWA, Baptist, and Catholic parishes.
Residents depend on subsistence farming, fishing, and trade supported by the Benue River. The attacks not only have killed and injured civilians but also destroyed farms, churches, and homes—further destabilizing these already vulnerable communities.
Casualties, Displacement, and the Government’s Response
The Taraba State Police Command confirmed approximately 50 deaths and reported the deployment of reinforcements to the affected areas.
“We have launched a full investigation and deployed reinforcements,” said a police spokesperson. “The public is urged to remain calm as we pursue the perpetrators.”
How the Violence Began: Land, Livestock, and Revenge
Conflict analyst Friday Agbo, Director of Abuja-based Alterconsult Think-Tank, traced the escalation to May 9, when Buhari Malamby, a young farmer in Munga Dasso, was killed during a confrontation with Fulani herders whose cattle had invaded his farm.
“After Malamby’s death, local youths retaliated by killing several cattle. That triggered a cycle of revenge attacks,” Agbo said.
A temporary ceasefire brokered on May 15–16 by state officials collapsed after another farmer was ambushed and killed near a Fulani settlement. Shortly afterward, witnesses reported nearly 50 motorcycles, each carrying three armed men, mobilized for a full-scale assault.
Anatomy of Rural Massacres
According to Agbo, the Karim-Lamido attacks follow a now-familiar pattern:
1. A land or crop-related conflict sparks violence.
2. Retaliations escalate into cross-community killings.
3. External militia groups mobilize for coordinated assaults.
4. Security forces respond late—after maximum damage is done.
“This pattern repeats in Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, and now Taraba. Without justice, security, and reconciliation, the killings will continue,” he warned.
Systematic Land–Grabs Driving Conflict
The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has described recent violence in Taraba as part of “systematic land grabbing” by Fulani militias.
David Onyilokwu Idah, IHRC Director in Abuja, said the violence follows a grim sequence:
“Brutal attacks, mass displacement, and the quiet occupation of farmland. It’s a consistent playbook.”
He said similar displacements had occurred in Lau, Takum, Wukari, and Ardo-Kola counties, often involving foreign Fulani herdsmen from Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
“These are not random raids—they’re strategic occupations aimed at seizing indigenous land.”
Weak Government Response and Ongoing Insecurity
Idah criticized both state and federal authorities for failing to reclaim occupied areas or maintain a security presence. Despite a 2024 military raid on a Fulani militia camp in Gashaka, much of the territory remains under militia control.
With fresh attacks reported in Lau and Ardo-Kola in June 2025, Idah warned that the Karim-Lamido killings are just one chapter in a broader campaign of forced displacement and demographic engineering.
Conclusion: A Region Abandoned?
As of this report, over 5,000 people have been displaced, with dozens dead, multiple churches destroyed, and farmlands lost. The government’s sluggish response and weak enforcement mechanisms leave rural populations at the mercy of violent militias.
“If this continues,” said one displaced resident, “we will lose our land, our homes, and our future.”
Mike Odeh James is a conflict reporter based in Kaduna and writes for TruthNigeria.
