There is a growing concern among the Tiv people living in Taraba State over the current killings across Nigeria, as well as the agitations for the division of the country.
The group who condemned all forms of killings and destruction of property as well as agitation for separation presently going on in some parts of the country, urged the authorities concern to as a matter of urgency bring to an end all such acts.
In a communique made available to media practitioners in Jalingo shortly after their annual conference and celebration of the feast of St. Augustine by the Tiv catholic community in Jalingo Diocese, they noted that the rise of “secessionist agitators in some parts of the country is enough hand writing on the wall for our leaders to urgently address the issues before we get to a point of no return.”
Condemning in “unequivocal terms, all forms of killings, criminality and marginalization of minorities across the nation,” the ethnic group seeks urgent solutions to the various vices presently bedeviling the country.
They said, “We are deeply worried with the turn of events in our dear country, Nigeria. Nigeria is gradually being turned into a killing field and small number of deaths no longer matter and worthy of being reported in the media,” stating that, “We only get to know or hear of killings when the number starts from ten upwards. ”
Citing recent killings in Jos, the Plateau State capital and the neighboring Benue State, they said,
“We particularly condemn attacks on our Churches, the recent killings and reprisals in Jos, Benue and mass abduction of innocent and helpless school children in parts of the country.”
While condemning the general insecurity in the country, they also called on the government of Taraba State to make more efforts to bring lasting peace to central and southern parts of the State, which according to them, “have not known peace since 2014.”
The President, St. Augustine Tiv Catholic Community, Jalingo Diocese, Denis Hembaor, expressed sadness that, “since 2014, most families in the central zone of the State have lost their sources of livelihood and have been denied access to their farmlands.”
Any attempt for them to go back to their homes in certain places, as lucidly stated in the communique, they said ” is tantamount to inviting death. ”
The said crisis, which according to them occurred in the Southern parts of the state in 2019 through 2020, “forced people into IDPs camps without any hope of when returning to their ancestral land.”
They urged the State Government to redouble her efforts in resolving the crisis and making adequate security arrangement for the safe return of all the displaced persons back to their homes in Wukari, Ibi, Donga, Takum, Gassol and Bali Local Government Areas and resettle them accordingly.
Tiv community seeks end to Taraba, Plateau, Benue killings, frowns at agitations for break-up
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