Catholic priests, religious leaders, and members of the faithful from the Wukari and Jalingo dioceses on Thursday staged a peaceful protest in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, to condemn the ongoing mass killings of farmers in parts of Takum, Donga, and Ussa Local Government Areas.
Holding placards with various inscriptions, the demonstrators voiced frustration over what they described as the apparent indifference of the authorities to the escalating violence.
The protest, described as a “solidarity walk,” aimed to draw public attention to the persistent attacks on communities in Chanchanji Ward of Takum, where the violence has been particularly severe.
According to church sources, more than 80 people have been killed in the area within the past 90 days. Thousands of residents have also been displaced, and numerous homes and properties have been destroyed.
Speaking, Very Rev. Fr. Yaro, noted that the attacks had resulted in the destruction of more than 200 churches and communities. He added that the violence was a direct violation of the constitutional right to freedom of religion of affected residents.
Fr. Yaro said the crisis, which he claimed began in September 2025, had left more than 90,000 Catholics displaced across the region.
He accused suspected Fulani militia of carrying out the attacks, often arriving in the early hours of the morning and killing residents while they slept.
He said attackers also set homes and farms ablaze, seized farmlands, and prevented displaced residents from returning to harvest their crops.
According to Fr. Yaro, some women were raped while trying to access farms to feed their families.
He also claimed that the militia had blocked roads and killed farmers with impunity, while harvesting crops from abandoned farms to feed their animals.
Describing the situation as an “existential threat,” Fr. Yaro said the crisis had not only claimed lives and property but also hindered the growth of Christianity and infrastructure development in the area.
While acknowledging the intervention of the Taraba State Government and security agencies in other parts of the state, Fr. Yaro urged authorities to extend similar efforts to Chanchanji Ward and surrounding areas in Takum, Ussa and Donga.
READ ALSO: Kaduna Priest Laments Bandits’ Mass Abduction Raid
He called for urgent deployment of adequate security personnel to affected communities and demanded the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators, regardless of ethnic, political or religious affiliation.
He also appealed for immediate humanitarian assistance for internally displaced persons, including food, bedding, toiletries, medical care and temporary shelter, to prevent a major humanitarian crisis.
Yaro urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, security agencies, local government chairmen and political leaders to engage in constructive dialogue aimed at fostering lasting peace in southern Taraba.
He warned that if the state fails to guarantee security for residents, the church may seek help from the international community.
Despite the grim situation, the clergy pledged continued spiritual support for government and security agencies as they work to restore peace.