Five traders were killed and several others injured on Wednesday afternoon when a military vehicle crashed into people at Peva Market in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The vehicle, attached to the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Wukari, was escorting traders from Wukari to Takum to provide security along a route plagued by recurring kidnappings and killings.

A resident, Tony David, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview. He said the victims were among traders who had displayed their goods along the roadside when the military vehicle allegedly lost control and rammed into them.

According to David, the soldiers from FOB Wukari had accompanied the traders as part of efforts to protect them, particularly along the troubled Chanchanji axis. He stated that five people died in the crash while others sustained injuries of varying degrees. The bodies of the deceased and the injured were taken to Takum General Hospital.

The incident has left traders and residents of the community in mourning, with calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the crash. There were unconfirmed allegations that the driver of the military vehicle was under the influence of alcohol at the time; these claims could not be independently verified.

Peva Market falls within Chanchanji Ward, an area that has faced persistent security challenges, including attacks and kidnappings in recent years.When contacted, Lieutenant Umar Mohammed, Acting Public Relations Officer of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army in Jalingo, said he was looking into the matter. 

“I’m on it. I will get back to you on it soon,” he stated.The Police Public Relations Officer of the Taraba State Command, ASP Victor Mshelizah, said he was aware of the incident through a social media post. He added that he would contact the Divisional Police Officer in Takum to confirm the casualty figures and obtain further details.

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