At least 20 people lost their lives with many others injured when men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen attacked Tunari, a village in Wukari local government area of Taraba state on Sunday, September 14, 2014 around 10 am, torching houses as most of the residents of the village had gone to church.
According to reports, president of the Youth of Vision in Wukari, Tsa-asen Agbu, said the herdsmen who were about 300 in number marauded the area targeting mostly Jukun Christians, causing many to flee the area.
He said: “They are burning down houses and killing our Jukun Christian brothers. They slaughtered children and women like rams. As I am talking to you right now, over twenty people have been killed, with several others sustaining various degrees of injuries while several houses have been burnt.”
Another eyewitness who spoke with Vanguard affirmed that “the attackers operated for several hours killing and burning down houses without any trace of security men to come to our rescue. These people took us unawares, and I believe they came from the nearby Plateau State. I think the level of damage would have been worse but for the fact that many of our people have gone to church.”
A pastor of an unnamed church in the village stated that the number of persons killed were more than 20, mostly women and children who were attacked as they made their way to church.
Joseph Kwaji, the Taraba state Police public relations officer (PPRO) confirmed the incident but could not ascertain the number of casualty.
According to him “Tunari village in Wukari Local Government was attacked this morning by the Fulani people, but our men have been drafted there to restore peace.”
