Taraba: Community Leaders Warn of Renewed Violence in Bissaula, Urge Government Action

Community leaders in Bissaula Ward, Kurmi Local Government Area of Taraba State, have raised alarms over a resurgence of violence in the area, calling on the state government to deploy security personnel immediately to prevent further attacks.

Led by former council chairman Stephen Agya and Alhaji Idi Ismail, the leaders spoke over the weekend in Jalingo, expressing concern that recent hostilities could undermine ongoing peace efforts aimed at ending the long-standing conflict between the Ichen and Ndaka-Chamba ethnic groups.

The crisis traces back to December 6, 2021, when suspected Ndaka-Chamba militia attacked Bissaula, killing several residents and destroying property worth millions of naira. Since then, the community has endured repeated assaults.

Multiple peace initiatives have been undertaken, including a Commission of Inquiry set up by former Governor Dahiru Ishaku to investigate the causes of the conflict and recommend solutions. Peace efforts continued under the administration of Governor Agbu Kefas, who organized a reconciliation meeting in Bissaula last year, during which both communities signed a peace accord committing to coexistence. Security personnel and government officials were also deployed in December 2024 to assess damage and facilitate the return of displaced families.

The Ichen Traditional Council subsequently held a reconciliation session in Bissaula, encouraging families to rebuild homes, while recently returning the remains of Ichen and Ndaka-Chamba natives who died outside the community—an indication that peace was gradually returning.

However, the fragile calm was disrupted on November 19, 2025, when suspected Ndaka-Chamba militia launched a nighttime attack, targeting Baba U. Gambo, a former youth leader and current commander of the Taraba Marshal in Kurmi LGA. Gambo was shot multiple times while attempting to flee and is currently receiving medical treatment, while another resident, Kefas Hassan Bui, escaped unharmed.

Community leaders questioned whether true peace has been restored in Bissaula and warned that without urgent intervention, the fragile accord could collapse. They appealed to Governor Kefas to station a permanent security team in the ward to enforce the Baissa peace agreement and urged civic organizations and religious bodies to intensify peace awareness campaigns, particularly within the Ndaka-Chamba community.

Reaffirming their commitment to peaceful coexistence, the Ichen leaders stated, “We are ready to embrace peace. We call on all and sundry to do the same so that we can live together peacefully, as before.”