Monday, 17 May 2021: Residents of Angwan Baafada and Utsua Daa communities in the Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State on Sunday said they had buried 13 persons killed by suspected herdsmen between Thursday and Saturday.

This is just as another resident, Stephen Iortile, said 17 people were killed by suspected herdsmen in a fresh attack in Bornon Kurku village of the Bali LGA.

One of the people that participated in the burial of the 13 victims near Gazabu and Utsua Daa, Mr Kelvin Awua, spoke to CEOAFRICA on the telephone.

He said, “We have buried all the 13 people that were killed between Thursday and Saturday. In fact the last two were buried this morning in Gazabu.

“The leaders of Fulani in Taraba State and Bali in particular should be commended for standing firm to ensure that the crisis did not escalate beyond what we witnessed.

“Till this moment no one knows the cause of the renewed attacks, but we thank God the Ter Tiv Bali, Zaki David Gbaa,  Fulani Ardos (chiefs) and security agencies made efforts to quickly bring the situation under control,” he said.

However, Iortile said 17 people were killed in a fresh attack on Saturday and Sunday in Bornon Kurku, noting security forces brought the situation under control.

The Taraba State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP David Misal, could not be reached. He also failed to respond to a text message sent to his mobile phone.