500 Christians Abducted as Fulani Ethnic Militia Entrench on Abandoned Farm
500 Christians Abducted as Fulani Ethnic Militia Entrench on Abandoned Farm
Southern Taraba is reeling from a wave of kidnappings and attacks as Fulani ethnic militia establish fortified camps across forests linking Takum, Wukari, and Bali.
Security experts and local clerics say these hideouts— parallel to the Rijana forest camps in Kaduna and the Gidan Sule Fulani terrorist enclaves—have become operational bases for mass abductions and killings targeting Christian farming communities.
“We estimate over 500 kidnappings between 2023 and 2025 in Takum and Wukari alone,” said security consultant Adakole Adah, of Adakson Security Consultancy, to TruthNigeria.
Kidnappings are a weekly event: On Thursday, Oct 5, Daily Report Nigeria reported that Troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police, rescued six kidnap victims, including a baby, in Taraba State.
Survivors’ Testimonies: Inside the Camps
“I spent 60 Days in the hostage camp inside Danjuma Farms,” according to pharmacist Jude Agba, kidnapped with his 11-year-old daughter on March 16, 2025, while driving from Wukari to Takum.
“About 20 herds of cattle blocked the road,” Agba told TruthNigeria. “As I slowed down, armed Fulani extremists surrounded my car and dragged us out at gunpoint.” He described a camp guarded by dozens of Fulani terrorists speaking Fulfulde, Hausa, and French.
“They accused me of being rich because I was a chemist. They beat me until I fainted. We were locked with about 40 others in an abandoned warehouse — farmers, traders, even two schoolgirls taken from the highway,” Agba told TruthNigeria.
“Every morning, they picked a few of us and flogged us publicly,” he recalled. “Those whose families delayed payment were tied to trees under the sun. One man from Bali died after being beaten with rifle butts.” Food was scarce — mostly grain mixed with dirty water.
“A young woman gave birth inside the camp without help,” Agba said quietly. “The baby died that night and was buried behind the warehouse.”
After 60 days, Agba and his daughter were freed when his wife raised ₦20 million, equivalent to $13,000.
“They dropped us where we were taken and gave us ₦4,000 for transport,” he said.
“We Were Chained Like Animals”
Mr. Terkimbi Ihyula (49) was abducted on December 27, 2024, while farming in New Gboko, Takum.
“Someone grabbed me from behind and hit me with a gun butt,” he said. “We trekked two days to a camp near an abandoned checkpoint marked Operation Whirl Stroke,” Ihyula told TruthNigeria.
“Fourteen people were chained by the hands and legs. We were fed garri once in two days,” he said. “Some spoke French — they were the most brutal.”
Hostages were guarded day and night, according to the survivors.
“They forced us to lie flat whenever a commander came,” he said. “I saw two men shot dead for trying to escape. Their bodies were left for days to rot as a warning.”
Ihyula said he spent 30 days in captivity before his sister raised ₦15 million, ($10, 419) after which he was released immediately.
“Some families couldn’t pay. They just disappeared one night and never came back,” he said.
Danjuma Farms: From Estate to Terrorist Hub
Local farmers identified the abandoned T.Y. Danjuma Farm estate along the Manya–Takum Road as a major hideout. Once a thriving agricultural hub, it now lies deserted after repeated raids.
“The farm is surrounded by thick forest and mountains near the Cameroon border,” said 80-year-old Kutebe farmer Mallam Zubair Ussa. “Fulani terrorists drove away the inhabitants and now use it for kidnappings and guerrilla operations.”
The site, linked to former Defence Minister General Theophilus Y. Danjuma, lies near Ussa (Lat 7.24692, Long 10.18519) and reportedly holds abductees for weeks or months until ransom is paid.
Kashimbilla Dam: Cross-Border Hideout
Residents also point to Kashimbilla Dam—close to the Cameroon border (06°52’27.0″N, 9°45’43.0″E)—as another stronghold. The dam’s rugged terrain provides cover for Fulani terrorists who move freely between Nigeria and Cameroon. Originally built for irrigation and power generation, locals now describe the area as “a safe haven for Fulani extremists.”
The Catholic Diocese of Wukari has documented at least 400 abductions of Christians in the past two years.
“Sometimes even after ransom is paid, victims are killed,” said Father George Dogo, a priest in Wukari. “We have notified the army and civil authorities, but the Fulani terrorists continue their evil acts,” Dogo told TruthNigeria.
Despite repeated reports, no sustained military operation has cleared the forests between Wukari and Takum.
Fresh Killings in Takum: Six Dead, Three Missing
On October 29, 2025, gunmen linked to the Fulani terrorist network attacked Unom, Yongugba, Tornyi, and Mbayongu villages in Takum County, killing six and injuring several others. Tribal chief Jonathan Dogo described the assault as “coordinated and deliberate.”
“They came from three directions, firing and burning everything,” the chief told TruthNigeria.
Displaced resident Monday Terfa, now in Mararaba Donga, told TruthNigeria:
“We were preparing for evening prayers when the gunshots began. Smoke was rising everywhere.”
Among the dead were Demenenge Saaior (42), Francis Kuragwa (55), and Fanen Kumaga (37). Three others remain missing.
Christian Worshipers Killed on All Souls’ Day
Three Catholic worshipers were killed on Sunday, November 2, 2025, when Fulani extremists opened fire on villagers heading to church in Agia and Akanyi communities around 10 a.m.
“They were dressed for Mass when the shooting started,” one eyewitness said. “It was heartbreaking — people who just wanted to pray were cut down.”
Mutilation and Horror in New Gboko
That same day, Fulani ethnic militia attacked New Gboko, injuring several.
Local vigilantes repelled the assault, but not before some victims suffered attempted amputations.
“They held me down and slashed my hands. They would have cut them off if vigilantes hadn’t arrived,” said Ms. Dootie Adam (27), a farmer.
Dr. Sam Dugu of Samdug Clinic, Peva, treated five victims.
“One man was stripped and attacked — they tried to cut off his genitals before rescue,” he told TruthNigeria.
Government Silence and Border Risks
Calls to the Taraba State Police Command and Operation Whirl Stroke Headquarters were not answered.
Security analysts warn that the militants’ proximity to Cameroon risks turning southern Taraba into a cross-border sanctuary for Fulani extremists.
