15 missing as armed men attack passenger bus in Taraba
An 18-seater bus carrying passengers from Zaki/Biam in Benue State to Maihura in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State was ambushed on Tuesday by armed individuals who are thought to be vigilante personnel. As a result, at least 15 people—including women and children—are reported missing.
The incident was reported to have occurred at Gankwe village, which is located in the state's Donga Local Government Area, along the Donga-Mararaban-Baissa road.
The bus driver, Mr. Mpuuga Mbaave, who managed to avoid death by stabbing himself with a machete while speaking on the phone with media about the incident, claimed that armed men dressed in vigilante uniforms attacked his vehicle.
"While travelling near Mararaba with eighteen passengers from Zaki/Biam in Benue State to Maihura in Taraba State, I noticed a lot of people wearing Vigilante uniforms. I parked the car as I had a suspicion that something wasn't right.
“One of the villagers who was passing by told me that I should proceed. According to him, two members of the Vigilante personnel were killed by kidnappers, and the vigilante came to carry their corpses.
"Kill them all, kill them all, it's their people (Tiv) that killed our members," yelled several of the Vigilante staff as I got closer. They then attacked the passengers, severing their throats with machetes.
"They made the passengers get off the bus and lie facedown. When I realised everything was going out of control, I made the decision to leap out of the bus and flee, even though I was refusing to come down. My guide trailed after me as well. We escaped for our life when they came after us and hacked us with a machete," he said.
The Doonga Local Government Council Chairman, Hon. Ezra Voka, confirmed the news and stated he was already in the neighbouring forest looking for the missing persons.
“Please my friend, I am already in the bush in search of the missing people. We cannot talk much now till when I get more information from here,” he said.
