Many Person Killed, Thousands Displaced As Chiefdom Tussle Tears Taraba Community Apart
Chuwang Emmanuel, Jalingo
The Wurkuns and the Karimjo have co-existed peacefully for decades in Karim, Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State in North-east Nigeria.
But the relationship is now bitter after a violent crisis a few weeks ago over the appointment and installation of a new traditional ruler, Yakubu Kirim, a second-class chief for the Wurkun chiefdom in Karim.
Universal Reporters gathered that on Saturday, May 6 scores of protesters from the Karimjo ethnic group protested in Karim town and neighbouring villages, over the announcement of the new traditional chief by Governor Darius Ishaku.
The Karimjo people felt that the appointment of a Wurkun man and the son to Abubakar Kirim, the late traditional head was unfair to them after the creation of a new chiefdom for the same Wurkuns in Bambur. The situation created serious tension in Karim Lamido.
The tension snowballed into a violent crisis on Friday, May 12 when the two tribes clashed.
Karimjos Accused Wurkuns Of Provoking Them to Act Violently.
The former National President of Karimjo development association, Samaila Zubairu alleged that while celebrating the return of the newly installed chief to Karim, the Wurkuns were mocking and harassing the Karimjos calling them all sorts of names and that triggered the anger of their youths.
Zubairu explained to Newsmen that before now Karim Lamido as been a peaceful local government even though a multi-ethnic society with 15 tribes dwelling together in unity and harmony for centuries not until recently did the issue of chieftaincy and chiefdom creation began in Taraba State.
He claimed that the Karimjos, with over fifty thousand population, are the first settlers in Karim which is why Karim is named after the tribe called Karimjo.
“We are Karim by tribe but the Jo that was added was by the Fulanis who were the second settlers meaning the man of Karim”
“After the Fulanis many other tribes, including the Wurkuns came to settle with us in Karim and we have been relating well in several means.”
“We are the real owners of the land and all the resources in the land but we are being oppressed in our own land”
“For many years the Karimjos have been yearning for liberation and emancipation over the issue of the chiefdom, we have written different requests to past and present administrations in the state but to no avail”
Mr Zubairu said all this while the Karimjos have been under the Wurkun chiefdom despite being the first settlers in Karim, “we felt it is now time for us to be liberated and regain our chiefdom.”
“Our people felt that governor Ishaku was not fair to us for giving an additional chiefdom to the Wurkuns in Bambur and also installed another Wurkun in Karim that triggered their anger”
“Our youths when out on a peaceful protest which is a constitutional right to voice out their anger unfortunately some persons in high authority decided to send the army to beat and harassed them”
He said while celebrating the return of the newly “imposed chief” to Karim last Friday, the Wurkuns started mocking them by chanting provocative statements like “Where are those who claimed to be the real owners of the land, come out we will deal with you, they are cowards they have run away, behold the king of Wurkun “
He alleged that the Wurkuns militias carried out the harassment of the predominant Karimjo settlement and that led to a serious fight that resulted in killings and the destruction of properties.
He alleged that the Nigerian Army assisted the Wurkuns during the attacks by repelling the Karimjos.
“Military that was drafted to the area were not neutral they repelled our youths and out of anger our youths started burning the houses of the Wurkuns because they felt justice as been pervaded.”
He said it took the intervention of elders and leaders of the Karimjos to calm the situation.
“But unfortunately, on Saturday the military invaded Karimjo settlements and killed over 13 persons and many were injured.”
“For now we cannot ascertain the actual number of casualties because we are still gathering our loses caused by the military, if you go to Karim now the settlement of Karimjo is empty, the military succeeded in displacing our people.”
“And because the military succeeded in displacing them the Wurkun youths and militias came out in large numbers and burnt down all the settlements of the Karimjos.” He alleged.
Zubairu said the Wurkuns are taking advantage of their political and educational, advancement to oppress them.
“Apart from having top political appointments and influential persons in the society, when you talk of the military they have Generals both serving and retired, they have senior serving and retired police officers, so I feel the military were sponsored to perpetrate the act” He further alleged.
Wurkuns Accused Karimjos of Launching an Attack, says their youth fought back in self-defense.
Wilfred Kwanchi, National president Wurkun Community Development Association, on Sunday, dismissed the Karimjos for accusing them of being responsible for instigating the crisis.
He said the Wurkun youths only fought back in self-defense.
Explaining the Wurkuns version, he disclosed that when the Karimjos heard of the announcement of the newly installed chief they started burning tires in Karim Lamido protesting and when he was presented with the staff of office they took him to Karim, on reaching Karim things were in order everywhere was calm but later in the night their Karimjos brothers went on rampage destroying and burning the houses of the Wurkuns in Karim.
He said he cannot ascertain the level of damages and the number of dead persons from the Wurkun tribe because the attacks are still ongoing as of Sunday.
“Yesterday night there were villages that were attacked by the Karimjos and we were meant to understand that we lost some of our tribesmen and about six Wurkun villages were completely destroyed.”
“The first village that was destroyed is called Balassa, and Balassa has been in existence since before the Karimjos came to settle in Karim.”
“I don’t want to give you half-baked information, we are waiting for the comprehensive report to come”
He said contrary to claims by the Karimjos that they are the original owners of the throne, he disclosed that Wurkun chiefdom has been in existence since 1976 when the late chief of Wurkun was turbaned as third class chief.
Kwanchi said if the Karimjos wanted a separate chiefdom they should have requested it with credible arguments than resorting to violence and laying claim over what does not belong to them.
“The Karimjos were not in Karim Lamido, they were residing at the riverbank, the entire Karim Lamido was known as Wurkun district even before the colonial era.”
He said the allegation that the Wurkuns used the military to kill and displaced the Karimjos was completely false and malicious.
Security Responded
The spokesperson of 6 Brigade Lt. Oni said the military is not a tribal organization, therefore they cannot take sides or molest any tribe.
He said the military was only in Karim to ensure that they restored peace and no doubt the situation was brought under control.
Also speaking his counterpart at the Taraba State police command Usman Abdullahi, who confirmed the incident, said the number of casualties was still being compiled, while normalcy has been restored in the affected areas.
Victims share ordeals
Asides from the hundreds of persons, mostly women and children occupying some classrooms in neighboring communities and in Lau, findings by Premium Times showed that most of the affected victims are being fed and sheltered by friends or family in neighbouring communities and in Jalingo the state capital.
For example, a married 50-year-old widow, who simply identified herself name as Hajara from Balassa village now resides with her elder brother in Jalingo.
“I cannot forget the night the attackers stormed our village in Balassa. They appeared from nowhere and started shooting and burning our houses. We started running for safety while we watched our houses being set ablaze.” She said.
Hajara a mother of six said on hearing the gunshots she alongside three of her children and some of her inlaws ran to the bush and trekked for hours to a neighbouring community for safety.
She said while trying to escape they went separate ways with two of her male inlaws, and she can’t tell whether they are alive or not as she is yet to communicate with them.
“Since we went separate ways I have not heard from them and their phone numbers are not going through.” She lamented in tears.
She said although she, her children, and her in-laws solely depend on farming to survive, life has been challenging since the death of her husband. Adding that the crisis would worsen their conditions, especially now that it is a farming season.
Hajara then begged on the government to rebuild their homes and ensure security is adequately restored so they can return home to the farm.
Like Hajara, 36-year-old Emmanuel Ishaku who escaped the attacks but sustained injuries in his legs said his village in Karim was attacked many were killed while many sustained injuries.
Ishaku is equally eager to return home to farm, even though he would have to live with pain of losing their friends and relatives and also their houses and properties.
“I am eager to return to Karim because I don’t have any other occupation more than farming, even though is not easy considering that we lost our friends, relatives, and our properties.” He said
LG seeks support for IDPs.
The caretaker committee chairman of Karim Lamido local government area, Shehu Vocks has asked for the support of relevant agencies, corporate bodies, and well-to-do individuals in alleviating the sufferings of internally displaced persons (IDPs), in Karim Lamido saying they are in dare need of basic necessities of life.
Vocks told Newsmen that hundreds of persons, mostly women, and children have so far been displaced and are taking refuge in different primary schools in neighbouring Lau local government area as a result of the attacks.
He said the “hardship and confusion” caused by the recent crisis was “very painful”
While commending Governor Darius Ishaku for the proactive measures he took to ensure that the situation was brought under control, he appealed to him to assist the IDPs.
Vocks assured that he “is working with security agencies to avoid reoccurrence of the situation.
He urged the residents of Karim Lamido to shun violence.
“We implore our citizens to embrace peace and shun violence, in the spirit of this farming season,” He said.
Communal crisis not new to Karim Lamido
Karim Lamido LGA in Northern Taraba is one of the oldest settlements of different ethnic groups, like Karimjo, Wurkun, Jenjo, Bambuka, Munga, kodei, Dadiya, Bandawa, and Fulani.
Karim Lamido is the largest locality in Taraba State and arguably has one of the most educated populations, having produced several prominent people in the state.
While Christian groups form the majority, due to early missionary activities, there are significant numbers of Muslims, Muslim Fulani, and traditionalists.
Finding by Universal Reporters shows that almost every community in Karim Lamido for many decades has experienced some form of communal conflicts that are complex with varied causes; ranging from the frequent Herders/farmers clashes to land resource competition, chieftaincy succession rights, ethnic supremacy, and political and economic marginalization or deprivation.
Bala Adamu in a presentation at the Presidential Retreat on “Peace and Conflict Resolution in some Central States of Nigeria,” held at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos on 24th – 26th, 2002, revealed that the conflict in Karim Lamido LGA, Taraba State, in 1996-1997 as one among the well-known incidents of violent communal conflicts in the country.
While explaining the effects of such violent attacks the late scholar said. “The perpetrators of this violence, on both sides, and even the actual planners, do not appear to gain anything tangible beyond the satisfaction of eliminating an “enemy”. But, in many cases, this elimination has also involved the destruction of some of the key human and material assets on which the economy of the community, no matter how inequitable, rests.” He said
On 27 July 2021, there was a communal clash between farmers and herdsmen in Jen community of Jen ardido, which resulted to a large-scale displacement towards the neighboring communities.
According to an assessment conducted by DTM (Displacement Tracking Matrix) field office, The recorded displacement involved a total of 792 individuals. A total of 20 casualties were recorded and 3 shelters were damaged. The affected population moved to neighbouring communities in search of safety.
