(Picture:Taraba State ,Acting Governor Garba Umar)
Heavy fighting erupted to day in Wukari and its environs .A Newsdiaryonline reporter heard sounds of heavy gunfire while speaking with a Fulani eyewitness in Ibi ,one of the towns near Wukari,Taraba State.It was learnt that at least 7 people had been killed in Ibi when the eyewitness spoke wih the reporter.
The Fulani man said their houses had been burnt while they had come under fire in Ibi after everyone was asked to go home because a curfew had been imposed following the outbreak of fighting in Wukari today.
Our source, a local resident in Ibi said trouble started on Friday when Jukuns killed Fulani by the river bank and “nothing was done about it.”
The eye witness said “What is happening in Ibi (town) today is that we heard there was fighting in Wukari.Then a curfew was imposed on Ibi (our town too).But our neighbours came out with weapons shooting and burning our houses.” As he spoke by telephone, sounds of heavy gunfire could be heard in the background.
Continuing he said “Yesterday(on Friday) Jukuns killed Fulani in Wukari by the river bank.Nothing was done about it.When fighting broke out in Wukari today,then they imposed curfew also on Ibi.We were told everybody should go home.But as we got to our homes,people -Christians and their leaders- came and started burning our houses (belonging to Fulani, Muslims).”
He said about 7 people had been killed as at the time of this telephone chat with Newsdiaryonline.
Another source described what was unfolding as an outbreak of war in Wukari and its environs because of the heavy shooting going on. ‘This is terrible’, he said.
No details about what happened in Wukari town was immediately available but another source said Jukuns, Tivs and Fulani were all involved in this renewed fighting in the area.
There was no “information on that” from the Force Headquarters when Newsdiaryonline called for Police reaction on the renewed fighting .
The latest fighting may be an indication of the collapse of the peace process in the area.
Taraba state has witnessed several years of fighting among Tivs,Jukuns and the Fulani.It is also believed that the political crisis following the illness of Governor Danbaba Suntai(a Christian) who is yet to recover from a helcopter crash has further heightened tension.
Acting Governor Garba Umar( a Muslim) has been leading the mantle of leadership in the state as Suntai has not been deemed fit enough to return to office.
Also recently the military said people dressed in attires similar to those used by Boko Haram were sighted in the state.
But it was not immediately clear if the renewed fighting in Wukari has any political undertones.
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