Why the killing of the people in the Taraba community will not stop

For some days now, there have been deadly attacks on some communities in Taraba state. Peoole have not still gotten over the death of a Christian cleric and his wife, who were killed by unknown gunmen whose intentions were unknown. The killing of Emmanuel Saba Bileya and his wife would have been suggested that the gunmen are attacking the community, on the basis of ethnic diversity.

However, that seems to be a very wrong assumption as recently, a village head and an islamic cleric was also killed by unknown gunmen. Both attacks were carried out and executed in Bagoni village, Bali local council in the middle of the night. Another village within the same local council, Tunga village was also attacked and many people killed. Houses and valuables were fiercely destroyed.

The government has decided to ignore these communities' killings, because the people probably mean little or nothing at all to them. The gunmen are gaining confidence everyday, and are becoming fearless with their attacks on the helpless villagers because there is no form of matching resistance in the community. The reason why the killings will not stop, has a lot to do with the indecision of the federal government to act and preserve lives and property.

Some of the residents who survived these simultaneous attacks, believe that the attacks were motivated by the ethnic group crises between the Tiv and Jukun ethnic groups. Many people are still going to die if these people are abandoned to their fate, and whatever can motivate these attacks in these villages in Taraba state, can also cause similar attacks anywhere in Nigeria.

President Buhari must move to check the excesses of these unknown gunmen, as they are just a minor threat today, who knows what major threat they may pose later. Ever since these attacks started, and making major newspaper headlines, no troops of the Nigerian armed force have been mobilised to the affected villages. If mobilisation of our soldiers is delayed to those vilkages, many people are going to die, and the killings of both old and young alike will not stop anytime soon. We need action.