The death toll from last week’s attack on Manga Village, a border community in Taraba South, and other Cameroonian communities, has risen to 12.
Over 20 people are still missing, including three children whose whereabouts are unknown.
The riverside village of Manga, which Vanguard visited over the weekend, remained solemn, with relatives of the deceased still mourning their loved ones.
Prior to last Tuesday’s attack on Manga village, locals who spoke to Vanguard claimed that there had been numerous attacks on villages in Cameroon with which they shared a common ancestor.
This resulted in the influx of their kinsmen into Manga and other Nigerian Communities along that axis, with whom they share the same Shibong language and cultural heritage, in order to escape the separatists’ onslaught.
They claimed that Manga was specifically targeted by the separatists for being a generous host to their kits and kin who sided with Cameroon following the 1961 plebiscite.
During the visit, locals who spoke with Vanguard confirmed that the attackers were indeed Ambazonia soldiers.
They claimed the attackers arrived in a boat but followed the mountain parts after attacking two villages in Cameroon before crossing into Nigeria’s Manga village.
Abubakar Manga, a palace worker who witnessed the incident, said the attackers arrived around 7 a.m.
“They came in through a narrow bush part after navigating the mountain into our village,” he said.
“We don’t know how many of them there were, but they shot at everything in sight.”
“Because the path they took into the village was close to the palace of our village head, they were able to easily kill him.”
“Many of our people fled into the river, while others followed the bush and mountain.”
“Thank God for the Immigration Officers who were on the scene as first responders; otherwise, the number of those killed would have been much higher.”
“Here in Manga, six people were killed, including our village head, but they killed three people each in the two villages they attacked before coming in on the Cameroon side.”
“The immigration officers stationed here engaged the attackers, while another officer used their boat to transport children and women to other villages.”
“It was the immigration that required assistance, and the military was called in because there is no mobile phone operator network over here.”
Another resident stated, “Prior to Tuesday’s attack, the Ambazonia fighters attacked the same village they have been attacking in Cameroon on Sunday.”
“As a result of this, a large number of people fled to Manga and other Shibong villages.” Nothing happened on Monday, but on Tuesday, we saw men with guns come in.
“Previously, we had no problems with either the Cameroon Gendarmes or the Separatists.” We are people who value peace.
“We thought that sheltering our brothers who were in danger over there meant that we were being our brothers’ keepers, not realizing that we would pay with our lives.”
“It’s very painful, and our previously peaceful atmosphere is now jeopardized.”
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HRH Alexander Yamusa Garkwe, the third class Chief of Shibong, also spoke out, saying the nature of the recent killings in Shibong has made his subjects vulnerable.
More concerning, he said, was the assassination of Manga village’s head and some of his subjects by foreign separatists.
He did, however, call for permanent Marine police, Army stations, and increased immigration officer deployment to effectively combat the growing threat.
Taraba state Commissioner for Information, Danjuma Adamu, who led the team for on-the-spot assessment, said the state government would work with the federal government to ensure that the killings of innocent Nigerians by foreigners do not happen again.
He also expressed the state government’s condolences to the community and expressed gratitude for their fortitude.
“We have seen things ourselves now,” he says, “and we have heard the request made by the communities here.”
“We will report back to the state governor for immediate intervention, and I am confident that something positive will result.”
“In addition, the military is now stationed here, and we are confident that lives and property are safe.”
Shiban Tikari, the Chairman of Takum LGA, also issued a strong warning to Ambazonia fighters to stop attacking villages under his jurisdiction.
He was confident that Nigerian troops would be able to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities along that axis, and he urged the federal government to reopen the previously dormant military station in Manga village.
The Army had established a camp at Manga’s Primary School at the time Vanguard visited the village.
Their officers and immigration personnel are also strategically placed at the village’s various entry and exit points.
Taraba State Commissioner for Information, Danjuma Adamu, led checks around Manga village to assess the level of destruction, and was accompanied by Commander, 6 Brigade of the Nigeria Army, Brig. Gen. H.I. Mabeokwu, Taraba State Comptroller of Nigeria Immigration Service, CIS Nuhu Kutana Tanko, Chairman Takum LGA, Shiban Tikari, Special Adviser on Security to Governor Ishaku, Nwunokhen Agyo, and other
