Women, children worst hit as fresh Taraba conflict displaces over 1,000 - The Guardian Nigeria News

A fresh communal conflict in Geroji and surrounding settlements in Mbamnga Ward of Sardauna local government council of Taraba state has displaced more than 1,000 people, with women, children and the elderly bearing the brunt of the violence.

Investigation by The Guardian, showed that about 340 houses were burnt during the three day crisis, forcing residents to flee their homes and seek refuge in neighbouring communities and across the border in the Republic of Cameroon.

An unverified number of people were reportedly killed in the violence, while several others were said to be missing.

Among those reportedly killed was a personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS), according to eyewitnesses and community leaders who spoke with our correspondent .

The violence, which reportedly began on September 16, 2026, has also resulted in the destruction and loss of livestock, including cattle and sheep, with residents alleging that some animals were killed while others were rustled during the crisis.

One of the community leaders, Ardo Bashiru, who spoke with media practitioners, said the scale of destruction had left hundreds of families facing severe humanitarian challenges.

According to him, more than 340 houses scattered across the mountainous and difficult terrain of Geroji and Mbara were completely destroyed, alongside food stocks and other means of livelihood.

“Tonnes of foodstuff and other means of livelihood have been completely destroyed in the conflict that lasted for about three days from September 16, 2026,” Bashiru lamented.

He appealed to the federal and state governments, individuals, humanitarian organisations and other stakeholders to urgently intervene, warning that the ongoing rainy season was worsening the plight of the displaced population.

Bashiru said many victims had been left without shelter, food, clothing and other basic necessities after losing virtually everything to the violence.

Among the settlements reportedly affected are Wuro Buba, Wuro Ardo Bashiru, Wuro Wakili Idrisa, Wuro Saleh Petel, Wuro Hassan Jaji, Wuro Alhaji Jibo, Wuro Alhaji Manu and Wuro Mbarkal, all within the Geroji community around the Mbamnga area.

Confirming the incident, the council chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Umar, said the crisis reportedly started following a confrontation between a Mambilla woman and a Fulani man on a farm.

Umar described the development as unfortunate and warned that anyone found attempting to undermine the peaceful coexistence among residents would face the full weight of the law.

He said the state government had facilitated the deployment of security personnel to the affected areas to restore and maintain peace.

The chairman also disclosed that arrangements had been concluded for the repatriation of refugees who fled across the border to Nyang in the Donga-Mantung Division of Cameroon.

He appealed to governments, traditional institutions, development partners and humanitarian agencies to support efforts aimed at the resettlement, rehabilitation and reintegration of the displaced population.

The Chief of Mbamnga, Alhaji Abubakar Saleh, also appealed for calm, urging residents to preserve the unity and peaceful relationship that had existed among the communities for decades.

Saleh described the residents as brothers and sisters and assured that traditional leaders and other stakeholders were working to prevent a recurrence of the violence, which he described as the first major conflict of its kind in his domain.

The latest incident has renewed concerns over the fragile security situation on the Mambilla Plateau, where previous communal violence in 2017 and 2018 resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives and the destruction of property.

With hundreds of homes reportedly destroyed and thousands of residents displaced, the immediate challenge before authorities and humanitarian agencies is the provision of emergency shelter, food, clothing, healthcare and other essential assistance, while efforts continue to restore security and facilitate the safe return of displaced families.