Hundreds of Nigerians flee to Cameroon after fatal violence in Mambilla Plateau

Hundreds of residents of Mbamnga in the Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State have fled to neighbouring Cameroonian communities following deadly attacks that left several people dead, including security personnel.

The refugees, mostly women and children from Wuro Geroji, a suburb of Mbamnga, fled across the border after machete-wielding militias targeted their homes.

Community leaders reported that roughly 502 displaced persons had been registered as of Friday across Cameroonian border villages, including Ntong, Fa’am Mfe, Nwa, and Yang.

Local government authorities have imposed a 24-hour curfew on Mbamnga to restore order and stem further violence.

According to local accounts, tension escalated last Saturday following a fatal altercation between a cattle herder and a farmer.

The dispute quickly triggered widespread violence, leading to the destruction of several homes and the killing of livestock, particularly within the herder settlement of Wuro Geroji.

Among those killed were an elderly woman, Hajja Mbamnga, and her son, Shuaibu Bammi, who was slain while trying to protect her.

Security agencies have deployed personnel to stabilise the area, while humanitarian concerns grow for those displaced across the border.

The lawmaker representing Mbamnga State Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Abel Diah, in a statement on Facebook, called on the security agencies to act immediately to secure affected communities and investigate the cause of the crisis.

“Security personnel should be adequately deployed to protect vulnerable residents, prevent further attacks or violence, and restore confidence among the people. The affected communities must not be left exposed at a time when residents are already living in fear.

“I further call for a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation into the incident. The authorities must establish the facts, determine the circumstances that led to the loss of lives, identify those responsible based on credible evidence, and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice in accordance with the law”, Mr Diah said.

​The region, widely known as the Mambilla Plateau, has a history of unrest.

A similar crisis in 2017, rooted in long-standing clashes between pastoralists and crop farmers, resulted in heavy casualties across the northeastern state.

Overlapping issues of land ownership, ethnic identity, and resource competition between crop farmers and cattle herders are often the causes of the violence.

In June 2017, inter-ethnic militias launched coordinated attacks across settlements, including Nguroje, Mayo Ndaga, and Gembu.

Violence erupted again in early 2018 due to retaliatory attacks and cattle rustling, leaving dozens dead and displacing thousands into neighbouring Cameroon or internal refugee camps.