Bandits have killed a soldier, a hunter and a pregnant woman and abducted 15 residents in fresh attacks on communities in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The attackers also shot and wounded another soldier during the Tuesday night assaults on Sarkin Yamma village, near the Jeb-Jeb area, and Ruwan Zafi village.
The latest attacks occurred 11 days after gunmen reportedly killed more than 60 people, including women and children, in Binnari town, further worsening insecurity in the area.
A community leader, Tanko Bobbo Andami, who confirmed the incident to Daily Trust by telephone, said the attackers stormed the communities with sophisticated weapons.
He said five abducted residents were rescued after soldiers and local hunters engaged the gunmen in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to retreat into the forest with some of their victims.
Andami said about 15 residents remained in captivity, including women and children.
He lamented that the repeated attacks had heightened fear among residents, accusing authorities of failing to provide adequate security despite earlier warnings.
“Before the attacks in Binnari town and the latest incident, we had called on the government to secure Karim-Lamido before bandits took over the area. This is where we are now,” he said.
The community leader appealed to the Taraba State and Federal Governments to urgently deploy additional security personnel to the area to prevent further attacks.
“We still appeal to the Taraba State Government and the Federal Government to pay special attention to the area and provide adequate security to secure Karim-Lamido Local Government,” he added.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the Taraba State Command, ASP Victor Mshelizah, for comments were unsuccessful, as he did not answer calls made by the reporter.
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Karim-Lamido has remained a flashpoint of communal violence in Taraba State, with several clashes between ethnic groups and attacks by gunmen recorded this year, resulting in deaths and destruction of property.
The local government’s strategic location at the intersection of four states, coupled with difficult terrain and poor accessibility, has made it vulnerable to attacks by criminal groups who reportedly exploit jurisdictional boundaries to evade security operations.
The latest violence comes amid lingering concerns over the October 23, 2026, attack on Binnari town, where about 60 people were reportedly killed.
The incident occurred as residents gathered at a market to buy and sell goods shortly after Friday prayers, when armed men opened fire on the crowd.
Although the Taraba State Government has declared Karim-Lamido a local government area of particular security concern, residents have called for the designation to be backed by adequate deployment of security personnel to protect communities from further attacks.
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