7 Passengers Found Dead After Gunmen Attack In Taraba

Seven bodies, including five women, one man, and an infant, were discovered in a forest following an assault on an 18-seater passenger bus in Taraba State. The passengers were traveling in a Selo Mass Transit bus from Zaki Biam in Benue State to Maihula in the Bali local government area of Taraba State when the incident occurred.

The assailants, believed to be a local vigilante group, attacked the bus at Gamkwe village in Marraban Baisa, Donga local government area of the state. The driver, Mr. Jimen Angera, managed to escape the scene despite sustaining machete wounds. He reported that the attackers, armed with guns, machetes, and other weapons, outnumbered the passengers.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police for Taraba State, Mr. David Iloyonomon, confirmed that seven bodies of passengers, initially suspected to be kidnapped, were discovered in the area during police patrols aimed at quelling tensions between Ichen and Tiv ethnic groups.

CP Iloyonomon explained that the unrest began when Ichen youths reported the disappearance of a pastor and a church member from Mararaba while en route to their church. Subsequently, clashes erupted between Ichen and Tiv residents.

The driver recounted his harrowing experience, stating that he abandoned his passengers to save his life after realizing the danger posed by the assailants. He described how the vigilante group members attacked the passengers with machetes, forcing them to lie face down.

Additionally, Donga local government council chairman, Hon. Ezra Voka, confirmed the incident and mentioned being involved in the search for the missing individuals in the nearby forest.