By Emmanuel Awari, Jalingo
More than one thousand persons, mostly women and children, have been displaced from their homes following a bloody communal conflict between Mambilla and Fulani herders in Geroji settlements, Mbamnga ward, Sardauna Local Government Area, Taraba State.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that about 340 houses have been burnt down, with the victims—mostly children, women, and the elderly—fleeing to the neighboring Republic of Cameroon and nearby communities for shelter.
A yet-to-be-verified number of people, including a DSS officer, were said to have lost their lives, while several others have gone missing, according to eyewitness accounts and information from some community leaders met at the affected area.
Ardo Bashiru, a community leader who spoke to journalists during a visit to the area at the weekend, disclosed that a number of livestock, including cattle and sheep, had also either been killed or rustled.
Bashiru said several families were currently facing a serious humanitarian crisis, as more than 340 houses scattered across the mountainous and difficult terrain of Geroji and Mbara were completely destroyed.
“Tonnes of foodstuffs and other means of livelihood have been completely destroyed in the conflict that lasted for about three days, from September 16, 2026,” the community leader lamented.
He appealed for urgent intervention from governments, individuals, and humanitarian agencies because, according to him, the rainy season, which was now at its peak, was taking its toll on the affected population.
He said the victims had lost everything in the ensuing conflict, leaving them with no shelter, no food, and no clothing.
The most affected settlements include Wuro Buba, Wuro Ardo Bashiru, Wuro Wakili Idrisa, Wuro Saleh Petel, Wuro Hassan Jaji, Wuro Alhaji Jibo, Wuro Alhaji Manu, and Wuro Mbarkal, all in the Geroji community around the Mbamnga area.
Chairman of Sardauna Local Government Area, Alhaji Mohammed Umar, who confirmed the incident to journalists in Gembu, headquarters of the council area, said in an interview that the conflict started from a fight between two individuals, a Mambilla woman and a Fulani man, on a farm.
Mohammed, who described the incident as unfortunate, warned that anyone found disturbing the peaceful coexistence enjoyed by the residents would face the full wrath of the law.
He said the state government had facilitated the full deployment of security forces to the troubled areas.
He disclosed that arrangements had been completed for the repatriation of refugees who fled to Nyang, Donga-Mantung Division, located in the northwestern part of Cameroon.
The chairman appealed for assistance from governments, stakeholders, and humanitarian agencies to come up with interventions to help in the resettlement, rehabilitation, and reintegration of the displaced communities.
Speaking in the same vein, the Chief of Mbamnga, Alhaji Abubakar Saleh, also appealed for calm and called for unity among the people, whom he described as brothers and sisters who have lived in harmony for decades.
He assured that all hands are on deck to ensure that such conflicts do not happen again, noting that this was the first in his domain.
Recall that similar violence took place across the Mambilla Plateau in 2017 and 2018, when hundreds of lives were lost and property was destroyed.