24-hour Curfew in Mambilla Plateau After Deadly Attacks

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

Residents shared that tensions rose on Saturday after a fight between a cattle herder and a farmer in the Mbamga area. The clash led to widespread violence, destroying several homes and killing livestock.

The Mambilla Plateau region has seen unrest before. A similar crisis in 2017, caused by ongoing fights between pastoralists and farmers, resulted in many casualties across the northeastern state.

A resident named Ibrahim Abdu told PREMIUM TIMES that the security situation worsened between Tuesday and Wednesday. Killings spread to nearby neighborhoods as the conflict grew.

Mr Abdu expressed concern over the slow response of the military unit based in Gembu, the headquarters of the Sardauna Local Government Area. He said, "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."

Curfew Announced

The chairman of the council area, Mohammed Umar, announced a 24-hour curfew covering Mbamnga, Mbara, and Geroji communities on Wednesday. This was shared in an official statement from Mr Umar’s media aide, Marvellous Heli.

The statement said the movement restriction was put in place to restore peace, protect lives and property, and stop any further violence in the affected areas. The council chair assured residents that security operatives had been sent to the affected communities to keep law and order, stating that the situation is currently under control.

Conflict in Mambilla Plateau

The conflict in the Mambilla Plateau comes from overlapping issues like land ownership, ethnic identity, and competition for resources between farmers and cattle herders. A serious escalation happened in June 2017 when inter-ethnic militias attacked various settlements, including Nguroje, Mayo Ndaga, and Gembu.

Violence flared up again in early 2018 due to retaliatory attacks and cattle rustling, resulting in dozens dead and thousands displaced into neighboring Cameroon or into internal refugee camps.