Fulani Herdsmen Invade Takum Few Days After Buhari’s Visit

The hometown of the Taraba State Governor (Governor Darius Ishaku) and a former Minster for Defence (Gen. Theophilus Danjuma ) Takum, was invaded few days after the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Recall that President Buhari had visited Taraba to avert violence especially killings by herdsmen in the state. The attacks, which were launched on Tuesday by the Fulani herdsmen, spread to other communities in Takum Wednesday.

Buhari, who visited Taraba State on Monday over the protracted Fulani herdsmen/farmers clashes in the state, especially in the Mambilla Plateau where scores of people were killed and property worth millions of naira destroyed, had assured that security agencies would restore law and order in the state.

At the time of filing this report, two bodies were found in Takum as the attacks spread to the adjoining communities in Takum and Ussa councils.

A security personnel in Takum who sought anonymity, said that the attacks were on-going and that local vigilantes at checkpoints to defend their communities had fled for fear of being killed by the herdsmen, especially as they had disarmed following the ultimatum by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Kpotun Idris.

Takum is the home town of Governor Ishaku and T. Y. Danjuma, a former Chief of Army Staff. A battalion of the Nigerian Army is domiciled in the town being a security flashpoint in recent times.

Yesterday, the Police confirmed the attack in Takum, but declared they were waiting for details from the affected areas.

The Police Public Relations Officer, David Misal, said that there were reports of attacks in a particular community, adding that “I am waiting for more information from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO)”.