Gunmen kill pregnant woman, soldier, hunter, abduct 15

Gunmen suspected to be bandits on Tuesday night reportedly killed a soldier, hunter and a pregnant woman at Sarkin Yamma village, near the Jeb-Jeb area of Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The attackers also shot and wounded another soldier before abducting several residents in the area.

The bandits, armed with sophisticated weapons, launched the attacks 11 days after a deadly assault on Binnari town, where more than 60 people, including women and children, were reportedly killed.

The attackers also invaded Ruwan Zafi village, near Sarkin Yamma, and abducted 15 people, including women and children.

A community leader in the area, Tanko Bobbo Andami, told Daily Trust on telephone that the attackers invaded the communities on Tuesday night, killing a soldier, a hunter and a pregnant woman and injuring another soldier.

He said five people were rescued after soldiers and local hunters engaged the attackers in a gun battle, forcing them to flee into the forest with some of their victims.

Andami said about 15 people were still in captivity, adding that the latest attacks had further heightened insecurity in Karim-Lamido.

“Before the attacks in Binnari town and the latest incident, we had called on the government to secure Karim-Lamido before bandits took over the area. This is where we are now.

“We still appeal to the Taraba State Government and the Federal Government to pay special attention to the area and provide adequate security to secure Karim-Lamido Local Government,” he said.

Efforts to get the comments of the spokesperson for the Police Command in Taraba State, ASP Victor Mshelizah, were unseccessful as of the time of filling this report.