Nigeria: Armed ‘Herders’ Attack Tiv Farming Community in Taraba, Burn 62 Houses, Injure One

Chaos gripped residents of the Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State following a violent attack on Tiv farming communities by armed herders, which left one person severely injured and at least 62 houses razed.

The attack, reportedly triggered by a dispute over access to a shared water source, a pond between Tor Bali and Atongo villages, escalated rapidly after a local woman was allegedly assaulted by Fulani herders while attempting to fetch water.

According to the report, the herders had brought their cattle to the pond, contaminating the water source that was traditionally used by the farming communities. The woman who challenged them was reportedly beaten, prompting an outcry from residents and leading to widespread violence.

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Chairman of Bali Local Government, Aboki Dauda, confirmed the incident and described the aftermath as “terrible,” noting widespread destruction and displacement. What happened here was terrible, you can see houses burnt, people displaced, but thank God that there was no life lost, he told ChannelsTV.

He recounted the origins of the clash: Trouble started at the pond where the Tiv people were fetching water, the Fulani herders brought their cattle there, destroyed the area, and a woman who went to fetch water confronted them for spoiling the water by asking their cattle to drink from where they fetch to also drink, there and then, they attacked her with their sticks and she fell, cried, and called the husband and neighbours to assist her, and from there the crisis escalated all over the two communities.

In a move to prevent further violence, Dauda said he summoned leaders of the Fulani herding community to the local government secretariat. “We have identified them and warned that if such is repeated, they will be held responsible. The Fulani herders do not listen to their parents, that’s the problem we have with them.”

One victim of the violence, Ezekiel Gboo, a farmer from Tor Baki village, recounted his narrow escape. While running, I pulled out my phone and called our Tiv leader, who instructed me to run to the police station immediately. While escaping, I couldn’t go further. I stopped, and they pounced on me; they were about 30, hitting me with sticks and cutlasses, and that was how they inflicted injuries on me, ChannelsTV reported.

Recall that there was a recent gruesome massacre of over 200 persons, including women, children, and internally displaced persons (IDPs), by terrorist “herdsmen” in Yelewata and Daudu communities of Guma Local Government Area. Tensions have escalated across Benue State.

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