Tears as Taraba holds mass burial for victims of herdsmen massacre

Grief hung heavy in the air on Saturday as devastated residents of Munga Lalau and Munga Doso communities in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State laid to rest scores of villagers reportedly killed by suspected herdsmen.

According to Sunday PUNCH, the villages were plunged into mourning after the attackers struck in the early hours of Friday, around 2am.

Eyewitnesses said over 50 armed assailants, riding motorcycles, stormed the communities and opened fire on residents as they slept.

“So far, we’ve counted 42 bodies, but many are still unaccounted for,” a soldier involved in the rescue effort told Sunday PUNCH.

Suleiman Joel, Chairman of the Munga Youth Forum, confirmed the high casualty toll.

“We’re still recovering corpses. The numbers are overwhelming. This isn’t just random violence — it’s a deliberate massacre. These were people who returned to their homes after being assured of safety. Now they’re gone. What do we tell their families?” he asked.

Survivors described a night of horror as the attackers, wielding AK-47 rifles and machetes, moved from house to house, torching buildings and killing indiscriminately.

“We had nowhere to run,” said Soja Emmanuel, one of the survivors. “They came shooting around 2am. People fled into the bush, but some were caught. Some didn’t survive.”

During Saturday’s mass burial in Munga Lalau, families wept openly as they recalled how their loved ones were killed.

Augustine Munga, a community leader who lost two brothers in the attack, called on the government to act swiftly.

“This bloodshed must end. We need justice, and we need it now,” he urged. “The burial was conducted with the help of soldiers and other security agents.”

Another resident, mourning the loss of four family members, suggested the attack was orchestrated.

“We slept in the bush all night. The gunshots we heard weren’t just from ordinary herders. They were organized. We returned this morning to find our homes in ashes,” he said, sobbing during a phone interview.

One resident, Madam Sarah Bitrus, who lost her husband and two other family members, could barely speak through her grief.

“My world has ended,” she said, breaking down in tears.