The Taraba State Police Command has confirmed a tragic bandit attack in the Tor-Damisa community, Donga Local Government Area, which resulted in the death of three police officers, a local vigilante leader, and several civilians. The incident occurred on Wednesday when armed men, identified as suspected bandits or militia, invaded Tse Kwe Village within the Tordamisa Akate Ward, prompting a distress call from a resident named Zaki Orbanga.

Upon receiving the report, a swift response team led by the Divisional Police Officer of Donga, supported by Special Force operatives, was immediately deployed to the area to restore order and protect residents. However, upon arrival, the officers were met with heavy gunfire, leading to a fierce exchange. The police operatives engaged the attackers, successfully repelling the assault.

Despite repelling the bandits, the confrontation proved deadly. The Taraba State Police Command identified Corporal Raphael Danjuma, Police Constable Ebenezer Daniel, and Police Constable Samuel Bawa as the officers who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty; Constable Bawa was initially declared missing before his body was recovered during a search operation in a nearby bush. The violence also claimed the life of Nutsa Tyav, a 60-year-old chairman of the local vigilante group in Tordamisa Village, whose body was found after the attack. While police confirmed these four deaths, other reports indicated that between four to five additional civilians were killed, bringing the total casualties to as many as eight in some accounts.

The Commissioner of Police in Taraba State, Betty Enepen Isokpan Otimenyin, expressed profound shock and sorrow over the deaths, describing the fallen officers and vigilante leader as heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for their communities and the nation. While extending heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, the Commissioner assured them that the sacrifices would not be in vain.

Security presence in the affected area has since been reinforced, with soldiers from the 93 Battalion in Takum and mobile police personnel maintaining order. The command also noted that ongoing operations are aimed at tracking down and apprehending those responsible for the heinous attack. Residents have been appealed to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information to aid the investigation, as the attack triggered widespread panic and led many residents to flee their homes into nearby bushes and neighbouring communities.