At least four persons were reportedly killed on Monday afternoon after armed herdsmen attacked farmers of Tiv ethnic extraction in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State.

An eyewitness, Mr. Terkimbi Tahav who escaped death by the whiskers told reporters that they were on their farm at Dinya village in Gassol when nine armed herdsmen on three motorcycles came and forcefully drove them out of the farm.

“One of them told us that the land we were farming on was sold to them by the Village Head of Kwararafa (Dekechin Kwararafa),  Alhaji Ibrahim Isah.

“We were shocked and tried to resist their attempt to chase us out of our farm, but they started attacking us with cutlasses and we ran for our dear lives.

“It was when we were running to safety that we discovered that four of our relations were already dead. They had killed them earlier before proceeding to attack us. It’s only because of God that some of us are alive to tell our story,” Tahav narrated.

The village head has however denied the allegations that he had sold out the land belonging to Tiv people in the area to herdsmen, admitting that he was aware of a lingering disagreement between Fulani and some Tiv farmers in the area.

Confirming the incident, Chairman of Gassol Local Government Area, Hon. Yahuza Yaya’u said nine persons mostly women were badly injured during the attack, adding that they were making efforts to convey them to a hospital for treatment.

“The problem started in Dongon Ruwa and six women and three men were badly cut and were at the point of death, but no life was lost. Those parading the rumor that four people were killed are those trying to ensure the escalation of the crisis,” Yaya’u said.