Water dispute turns violent, 62 homes burnt, one injured in Taraba community

A dispute over access to a pond has escalated into a violent confrontation in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State, leaving one person injured and 62 homes destroyed in two farming communities.

The clash, which broke out between Tiv farmers and Fulani herders, began in Tor Bali and Atongo villages after a woman fetching water at the community pond was reportedly attacked by herders who had brought their cattle to drink from the same source.

According to the Chairman of Bali LGA, Aboki Dauda who spoke to Channels Television, the woman had confronted the herders for letting their cows pollute the pond.

“She raised the alarm after being beaten, and her calls for help sparked tension that spread quickly through the communities,”

Dauda said. “What happened here was terrible. You can see houses burnt and people displaced. Thank God, no life was lost.”

Ezekiel Gboo, a local farmer in Tor Baki who narrowly escaped with his life, recounted the horror: “We were on our farms when they came from all directions. I tried to escape but couldn’t run far. They caught up with me—about 30 of them—beating me with sticks and machetes.”

As fear gripped the area, the Taraba State Government quickly dispatched a delegation to assess the damage and offer emergency support. Led by Commissioner for Special Duties and Humanitarian Affairs, Saviour Noku, the team delivered non-food relief materials and urged the communities to embrace peace.

“You are peace-loving people,” Noku told residents.

“Let us learn from what has happened and give peace a chance. It is always cheaper to prevent a crisis than to respond to one after it explodes.”

The team also visited the palace of the Chief of Bakundi to enlist the support of traditional institutions in maintaining peace. Among the delegation was Hon. Veronica Alhassan, the member representing Bali One Constituency in the Taraba State House of Assembly, who also called for calm and reconciliation.

In a related visit, the delegation extended relief materials to residents of Garba Chede community, also in Bali LGA, where a devastating windstorm last week killed six people and destroyed more than 200 homes.

The state government has reiterated its commitment to preventing further bloodshed and fostering lasting peace among farmers and herders in the region.