No fewer than five people have been reported dead and nearly a dozen homes burnt to ashes following a renewed clash between herders and farmers in the Chakfem District of Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State.
The attack, which occurred in Tim village, also left several residents with varying degrees of injuries as they struggled to escape the violence that engulfed the community on Tuesday evening.
According to local sources, the crisis began when suspected Fulani militias launched an assault on the farming community, targeting homes and setting them ablaze after killing several residents.
In separate interviews two residents confirmed that the attackers stormed the area with the intent to cause widespread destruction.
A security personnel also disclosed that preliminary investigations suggest the violence may have been a reprisal attack following allegations of cattle rustling by farmers.
“The suspicion is that the attackers were reacting to reports of missing livestock in the area,” the security source said.
Residents further lamented that help from security agencies arrived late, with troops reportedly blaming the delay on the community’s rough terrain, poor network access, and its long distance from the nearest security outpost.
“By the time soldiers arrived, the damage had already been done,” one of the sources told journalists.
The bodies of the victims have since been buried in accordance with local traditions, while the injured are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
Although relative calm had returned to the area by Wednesday morning, fear and tension still grip the community, with residents expressing concerns about potential fresh reprisals if the underlying grievances between the warring groups remain unaddressed.
