Gbenga Adamolekun
Wukari: Taraba State: Relentless attacks in Taraba have left 98,000 people homeless and have destroyed 217 churches, according to the Catholic Diocese of Wukari, underscoring the scale of the humanitarian crisis gripping the state.
The diocese disclosed this in a communique issued at the end of its 3rd General Assembly on Saturday in Wukari.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the communique was signed by Bishop Mark Nzukwein of the diocese.
The communique stated that the displaced persons were particularly scattered around the Donga and Takum Local Government Areas (LGAs).
“From September 2025, there has been a resurgence of attacks by criminals on communities in the southern part of Taraba, especially in Takum, Donga LGAs and the Yangtu Special Development Area.
“These attacks have left scores killed, maimed and injured, with property worth millions of naira and means of livelihood destroyed.
“According to diocesan records, over 98,000 persons have been displaced since September 2025, including 16 priests, and 217 churches have been completely destroyed during this period.
“Residences of eight priests have also been destroyed, and more than 100 persons have been reportedly killed,” it stated.
The diocese also decried the rising spate of land grabbing, insisting that the ancestral lands of the displaced have been taken over by criminals.
The statement called on the Federal Government and the security agencies to be proactive towards tackling the security challenges bedevilling the area.
It further called on the government at all levels to put in place measures to enable displaced persons to return home.
