In a tense and growing security crisis, church leaders from the Munga Dosso community, within the Karim-Lamido area of Taraba State, have petitioned authorities to intervene in what they describe as a creeping invasion by herders who are allegedly occupying farmland, wielding arms, and undermining local stability. (Leadership News)
According to Pastor Amos Gwamna of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Jos, the community has co-existed peacefully with local Fulani herders for generations. He described the latest incidents — where more than 12 youths have been killed — as a “turning point” in that relationship. (Leadership News)
Bishop Yohanna Johnwesley (Emeritus of the Global Methodist Church Nigeria) sounded a grave warning:
“The herders are now coming in large numbers, dominating and trying to occupy lands that belong to many families.” (Leadership News). He added that while there was “relative peace” at the moment, the constant threat of renewed attack kept residents on edge and constrained their farming and movement.
Specific Allegations
The attackers are said to be armed with sophisticated weapons and motorcycles, giving them mobility to strike remote communities. Locals claim herdsmen are setting up camps and asserting control over ancestral farmlands. (Leadership News)
In recent months, more than 30 individuals were reported killed in the broader region, with over 62 homes destroyed and thousands displaced — many of which the church says involve Christian farming communities in Taraba and neighbouring states. (thenextier.com)
Community appeals for permanent police and security presence, especially in remote villages, have gone unheeded. Clerics say government response has been slow and inadequate. (Leadership News)
Government Response & Policy Context
While the Taraba State Government has occasionally deployed security teams to affected areas, the church leaders insist that such efforts are reactive and do not address the root causes: land encroachments, lack of designated grazing reserves and weak law enforcement. (Leadership News)
Clergy also point out that existing farmer-herder conflicts have morphed into more organised patterns of territorial takeover and deprivation of indigenous communities. (allAfrica.com)
Tags: #Taraba #HerdersCrises #FarmerHerdersConflict #ChurchAlarm #MungaDosso #KarimLamido #NigeriaSecurity
Would you like me to gather first-person interviews from affected villagers and overlay satellite or map data to show the villages most at risk in Taraba State?
