Taraba State in North East region is facing rising farmer–herdsmen tensions.
Barely one week after the governors of Taraba and Benue states held a high-level security meeting in Wukari to address rising insecurity in Southern Taraba, suspected armed herders have reportedly ambushed Tiv farmers in Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State, killing two people and injuring several others.
The attack occurred at Tse-Ukwe community in Donga LGA when the victims were returning from their farms.
Donga shares boundaries with Takum and Wukari local government areas — communities that recently hosted Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas and Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia during an on-the-spot assessment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the region.
The two governors had met on March 2, 2026, alongside traditional rulers, government officials and other stakeholders from both states to deliberate on the worsening security situation along the Benue–Taraba border communities.
At the meeting, both leaders pledged to strengthen collaboration through intelligence sharing and joint support for security agencies to identify and apprehend those responsible for violent attacks in the area.
However, the latest incident has heightened concerns among residents.
The Ter-Donga, traditional ruler of Tiv people in Donga LGA, Zaki Ugondu Uma, said the victims were internally displaced persons who had returned briefly to their farms to gather food items.
According to him, the farmers were ambushed by heavily armed attackers suspected to be Fulani herders while returning to their temporary camp at Tor-Damsa.
“The 2 people that were killed yesterday, 9th March 2026 are IDPs, they have already been displaced by the same same herders, they have been taking refuge at Tor-Damsa, they only wake up yesterday and went to their farms to get food stuff, on their way, the Fulani ambushed them at Tse-Ukwe, 2 persons were killed, some escaped with various degrees of injuries.”
Uma identified the deceased as Boniface Aondowase, 32, and Aondoakuea Adi, 35, both from Tse-Kur village in Donga Local Government Area.
He added that survivors who fled the scene were able to recognize the attackers.
“Those that escaped from the scene saw the attackers and know very well they are Fulani, bodies of the 2 persons were recovered by the military who later came, the bodies were handed over to us, we have already buried them since that yesterday evening, am begging the government to come to our rescue.”
The monarch also raised alarm over intelligence suggesting a possible attack on the IDP camp in Tor-Damsa, where displaced villagers are currently taking refuge.
“We are getting rumors that Fulani have concluded arrangements to come and attack us here in Tor-Dansa in no distance time, let the government come to our rescue, our people been chased away from their various communities, they have come to take refuge here in Tor-Damsa, even here they are still been killed, where do we have to run to again for our lives?” Uma queries.
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When contacted, the Chairman of Donga Local Government Council, Hon. Yahaya Aliyu, declined to comment immediately on the incident.
“I will get back to you in few minutes,” Aliyu told our correspondent during a phone conversation.
Similarly, the spokesperson of the Taraba State Police Command, Mr. Victor Mshrizer, who had earlier promised to provide details, had not responded to calls as of the time of filing this report.
The latest attack has renewed fears among residents in Southern Taraba, where recurring clashes between farmers and armed groups have forced many villagers to flee their homes and seek shelter in IDP camps.
