Curfew imposed after many killed in Mambilla Plateau

Local government authorities have imposed a 24-hour curfew on the Mbamga community following violent attacks that left at least five people dead, including security personnel, in the Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State.

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Residents reported that tension escalated on Saturday after a fatal altercation between a cattle herder and a farmer in the Mbamga area.

The clash triggered widespread violence, leading to the destruction of several homes and the killing of livestock.

The region, widely known as the Mambilla Plateau, has a history of unrest.

A similar crisis in 2017- rooted in long-standing clashes between pastoralists and crop farmers- resulted in heavy casualties across the northeastern state.

A resident, Ibrahim Abdu, told PREMIUM TIMES that the security situation deteriorated between Tuesday and Wednesday, with killings spreading to nearby neighbourhoods as the conflict intensified.

Mr Abdu expressed worry over the perceived inaction of the military’s quick response unit stationed in Gembu, the headquarters of the Sardauna Local Government Area.

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”I honestly do not understand why security forces are stationed here if innocent people on both sides continue to be killed for days without any enforcement of law and order,” he said.

Curfew imposed

The chairman of the council area, Mohammed Umar, declared a 24-hour curfew across Mbamnga, Mbara, and Geroji communities on Wednesday.

The announcement was made in an official press statement issued by Mr Umar’s media aide, Marvellous Heli.

According to the statement, the restriction of movement was instituted to restore calm, protect lives and property, and prevent any further escalation of violence in the affected areas.

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The council chairperson assured residents that security operatives had been deployed to the affected communities to maintain law and order, maintaining that the situation is currently under control.

Conflict in the Mambilla Plateau

The conflict on the Mambilla Plateau is driven by overlapping issues of land ownership, ethnic identity, and resource competition between crop farmers and cattle herders.

A devastating conflict escalation occurred in June 2017. Inter-ethnic militias launched coordinated attacks across settlements, including Nguroje, Mayo Ndaga, and Gembu.

Violence erupted again in early 2018 due to retaliatory attacks and cattle rustling, leaving dozens dead and displacing thousands into neighbouring Cameroon or internal refugee camps.