Soldier, pregnant woman killed, 15 abducted in Taraba

Bandits on Tuesday night killed a soldier, a hunter and a pregnant woman at Sarkin Yamma village, near the Jeb-Jeb area of Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The attackers also shot and wounded another soldier and abducted several residents in the area.

Daily Trust gathered that the bandits, armed with sophisticated weapons, launched the attacks 11 days after a deadly assault on Binnari town, where more than 60 people, including women and children, were reportedly killed.

The attackers also invaded Ruwan Zafi village, near Sarkin Yamma, and abducted 15 people, including women and children.

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A community leader in the area, Tanko Bobbo Andami, who spoke to Daily Trust by telephone, said the attackers invaded the communities on Tuesday night, killing a soldier, a hunter and a pregnant woman and injuring another soldier.

He said five people were rescued after soldiers and local hunters engaged the attackers in a gun battle, forcing them to flee into the forest with some of their victims.

Andami said about 15 people were still in captivity, adding that the latest attacks had further heightened insecurity in Karim-Lamido.

“Before the attacks in Binnari town and the latest incident, we had called on the government to secure Karim-Lamido before bandits took over the area. This is where we are now,” he said.

“We still appeal to the Taraba State Government and the Federal Government to pay special attention to the area and provide adequate security to secure Karim-Lamido Local Government,” he added.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Taraba State Command, ASP Victor Mshelizah, did not answer calls made by our reporter for comments on the incident.

Karim-Lamido has long been a flashpoint of communal violence in Taraba State. This year, the area has witnessed several violent clashes between ethnic groups, as well as attacks by gunmen, resulting in loss of lives and destruction of property.

Its strategic location at the intersection of four states, coupled with difficult terrain and poor accessibility, makes the area vulnerable to infiltration by criminal elements who exploit jurisdictional boundaries to evade security operations.

The latest attack on Binnari, which occurred on October 23, 2026, claimed about 60 lives. The incident happened as villagers gathered at the market to buy and sell goods shortly after Friday prayers, when armed men suddenly opened fire on the crowd.

Although the state government has declared Karim-Lamido Local Government Area an area of particular security concern, residents said the designation must be backed by adequate deployment of security personnel to prevent further attacks.