Taraba Border Communities Under Siege as Fulani Ethnic Militias Intensify Kidnappings; ECWA Members Abducted as Church Leaders Call for Greater International Attention
By Mike Odeh James and Izhi Bitrus Adamu
(Jalingo, Taraba State) As darkness fell over communities in Karim Lamido County, armed Fulani Ethnic Militia fighters swept into villages and farms on motorcycles, firing shots and abducting residents into nearby forests. For many Christians along the Taraba-Gombe-Bauchi corridor, such attacks have become a recurring nightmare.
Rev. Emmanuel M. Yaggah, lead pastor of ECWA Kwatibi, told TruthNigeria that three members of his congregation were abducted in separate attacks over the past five months. The victims – Ibrahim, Hoseah, and Nancy – were kidnapped in incidents that reflect a worsening security crisis affecting predominantly Christian ethnic communities.
“At least 50 Christians have been kidnapped in this region, particularly in Munga-Lelau, Munga-Doso, Bandawa, Gomu, Zoh, and Panya communities that share boundaries with Plateau, Bauchi, and Gombe states,” Yaggah told TruthNigeria.
According to local church leaders, ransom payments have ranged from $300 to tens of thousands of dollars.
Forty-One Days in Captivity
Ibrahim was abducted from his home when armed fighters stormed his compound at approximately 10:00 p.m., firing shots. According to Yaggah, the kidnappers repeatedly moved their captives through forest hideouts.
“These Fulani fighters operate nearly 100 camps within the forests linking Karim Lamido with parts of Gombe and Bauchi states,” Yaggah said. “They rarely remain in one location for more than 24 hours.”
The kidnappers initially demanded nearly $30,000 (₦50 million) for Ibrahim’s release. After weeks of negotiations, family members reportedly paid about $6,600 (₦11 million) and provided two new motorcycles before securing his freedom after 41 days in captivity.
Nancy, a 40-year-old petty trader, was abducted from a local market when armed fighters on motorcycles seized more than 15 people before disappearing into nearby forests. “She was fortunate compared to some others,” Yaggah said. “On the seventh day, she was released.” Her family paid approximately $300 (₦500,000).
Another member, Hoseah, was kidnapped while working on his farm shortly before sunset. He spent 13 days in captivity before relatives secured his release after paying approximately $300 (₦500,000).
Border Corridor a Haven for Terrorists
Karim Lamido sits along a strategic corridor connecting Taraba with parts of Gombe and Bauchi states. The area’s vast forests, rugged terrain, and limited security presence have made it attractive to armed groups.
Residents said Fulani Ethnic Militias have increasingly exploited the forests surrounding Karim Lamido County to establish camps, evade security forces, and launch kidnappings. Church leaders argue the violence has disproportionately affected Christian farming populations. Farming activities have declined as residents abandon distant fields out of fear.
While many national media reports describe such incidents as “rural banditry,” church leaders contend the violence forms part of a broader campaign of displacement targeting predominantly Christian ethnic communities across Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
Former President of SOKAPU, Jonathan Asake, has previously alleged that more than 2,316 square miles of ancestral land across parts of the Middle Belt have been forcibly occupied by jihadist, Fulani Ethnic Militias since 2016.
Church leaders also point to findings by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa, which reported that Fulani militants were responsible for a disproportionate share of Christian killings between 2019 and 2024.
Calls for International Attention
The kidnappings come as international concern grows over Nigeria’s worsening security crisis. U.S. military cooperation with Nigeria has focused primarily on counterterrorism operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other jihadist groups.
However, community leaders argue the violence affecting Christian farming communities has received far less international attention.
Adakole Adamson, CEO of Adakson Security Consultancy, told TruthNigeria that Middle Belt communities must unite and advocate for greater international engagement.
“The people of the Middle Belt must form a formidable platform capable of speaking with one voice,” Adamson said. “If international military assistance, intelligence sharing, and counterterrorism cooperation can be mobilized in other parts of Nigeria, then the security crisis in Taraba, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, and neighboring states should also receive serious international attention.”
Washington-based security consultant Scott Morgan previously told TruthNigeria that U.S. security assistance has largely focused on internationally designated terrorist organizations. He noted that growing instability across Nigeria increasingly blurs the line between terrorism, organized crime, and armed militias.
Humanitarian Consequences
Beyond immediate trauma, local leaders say the kidnappings are producing wider humanitarian consequences. Farmers abandon distant fields, reducing agricultural productivity. Traders face growing risks, and some parents are reluctant to send children to distant schools.
Rev. Monday M. Gulu, a Taraba-based missionary, described the kidnappings as acts of terrorism and warned that ransom payments may be strengthening networks responsible for attacks across the region.
“The ransom money collected from victims and their families helps sustain these networks,” Gulu told TruthNigeria. “Communities are being forced to pay repeatedly simply to secure the release of their loved ones.”
Mike Odeh James and Izighe Bitrus Adamu are Conflict Reporters for TruthNigeria.
