TENSION ON MAMBILLA PLATEAU AS DSS OFFICER REPORTEDLY KILLED, CURFEW IMPOSED IN AFFECTED COMMUNITIES
JALINGO, TARABA STATE — September 16, 2026
Tension has risen in parts of Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State following reports of violent clashes around Mbamnga, Mbara and Geroji communities on the Mambilla Plateau.
Reports from residents and other local sources indicate that several people may have been killed and others injured during the unrest, while houses and other properties were reportedly destroyed or set ablaze.
Among those reportedly killed is a personnel of the Department of State Services, DSS, who was said to have been part of a security intervention in the affected area.
However, the circumstances surrounding the reported death of the DSS officer, the total number of casualties and the identities of those responsible could not be independently established as of the time of filing this report.
REPORTS OF ATTACKS
According to accounts circulating from the affected communities, violence was reported in and around Wuro Geroji, a settlement associated with the Mbamnga area.
Some sources alleged that armed groups carrying machetes and spears attacked members of a Fulani community, resulting in deaths, injuries and the destruction of houses.
There were also reports that an elderly man was killed while tending his cattle.
Other accounts claimed that security personnel who moved into the area to intervene were themselves attacked.
These claims have not been independently verified, and there are conflicting accounts regarding what triggered the latest violence.
A separate account identified a Fulani man, Isa Toungo Ardo of Wuro Geroji, as another reported victim.
The reports have raised fears of further attacks and possible displacement of residents in communities around Mbamnga and Barkal.
SECURITY CONCERNS
Concern increased after reports emerged that some residents were unable to reach relatives in parts of the affected communities.
One account circulating on Wednesday said a resident had been attempting to contact family members in Barkal after receiving information that attackers were approaching, but communication was subsequently lost.
The claim that members of the family were killed could not be independently confirmed.
Residents have consequently called for urgent deployment of security personnel to Mbamnga, Barkal, Geroji and neighbouring settlements to prevent further loss of life.
CURFEW DECLARED
In response to the unrest, the Executive Chairman of Sardauna Local Government Council, Hon. Mohammed J. Umar, announced an immediate 24-hour curfew covering Mbamnga, Mbara and Geroji.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Marvelous Heli, the chairman said security personnel had been deployed to the affected communities to restore order and protect lives and property.
The council directed security agencies to enforce the curfew and arrest anyone found violating the directive.
Traditional and community leaders were also urged to mobilise residents for peace, restraint and compliance with the security measures.
Residents were advised to remain indoors during the curfew, avoid provocation and report suspicious movements to security personnel.
A COMMUNITY WITH A HISTORY OF CONFLICT
The latest incident has renewed concerns about the possibility of a return to the kind of communal violence previously experienced on the Mambilla Plateau.
Historical accounts and research document earlier conflicts involving several communities and ethnic groups in Sardauna Local Government Area, including Mbamnga. The area is ethnically diverse, with Mambilla, Fulani and other communities living across different settlements.
The 2017 crisis also resulted in deaths, destruction and displacement, with reports at the time documenting significant humanitarian consequences for affected residents.
The history makes the latest reports particularly sensitive and underscores the importance of preventing unverified information from further inflaming tensions.
CALLS FOR RESTRAINT AND INVESTIGATION
Community members and concerned residents are calling on the Taraba State Government, security agencies and local authorities to act quickly to protect civilians and prevent retaliatory attacks.
There are also calls for a thorough investigation into the immediate cause of the latest violence, the reported killing of the DSS officer and other victims, the destruction of property and allegations of attacks on security personnel.
Authorities are expected to establish what happened, identify those responsible and ensure that anyone found culpable is prosecuted according to law.
For residents of the Mambilla Plateau, the immediate priority remains the protection of lives and the restoration of calm.
With conflicting accounts still circulating, community leaders, security agencies and the media have a responsibility to avoid inflammatory statements, ethnic generalisations and unverified casualty figures that could worsen an already tense situation.
The situation in Mbamnga and surrounding communities remains one requiring close monitoring, independent verification of reported casualties and sustained engagement between community leaders and security authorities.
For now, the key message from the affected communities is clear: protect civilians, prevent retaliation, establish the facts and restore peace.Editorial note: For broadcast
