Tiv/Jukun: Benue, Taraba meet, resolve to end crisis (See Communique)

By Ede Ogaba Ede

Recognising the essential need for peace in the development of any society, the Tiv people of Benue and Jukun people of Taraba State, who in the past two weeks have been embroiled in some fratricidal clashes that spilled into Benue State, have agreed to cease hostilities and embrace one another as brothers.

This was the highlight of the emergency joint Benue/Taraba State Security Council Meeting, which held yesterday at the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State, presided by Benue State Acting governor, Engr Benson Abounu and Taraba State Deputy Governor, Engr Haruna Manu.

The meeting, which had in attendance, the paramount ruler of the Tiv nation, and chairman, Benue State Traditional Council, HRM, Prof. James Ayatse, the Aku Uka of Wukari and chairman, Taraba State Council of Chiefs, Dr. Shekarau Angyu Masa Ibi Kuvyon ll, was also graced by former Governor Gabriel Suswam, serving and elected members of the National and State Assembly from Benue and Taraba States, council chairmen and traditional rulers from the border local government areas, as well as the clergy and youth representatives from both sides.

The joint security meeting emphasized the need for Tiv and Jukun people who are indigenes of Benue and Taraba States to be loyal to the Political and Traditional Leaderships of the two States and accept the indigineship of the State they belong.

The clashes, which resulted into the killing of several people and destruction of properties worth millions of naira in both Benue and Taraba State started from a little quarrel between two individuals at Kente, a village in Taraba State. This quarrel later spread and assumed the shape of ethnic clashes between the Tiv and Jukun culminating in the massive destruction witnessed.

The communique issued at the end of the peace meeting is reproduced below.

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE JOINT SECURITY MEETING BETWEEN BENUE AND TARABA STATES HELD ON MONDAY 15TH APRIL, 2019 AT THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY, WUKARI.

Following the recent inter-ethnic crisis between Communities in Benue and Taraba States and the need for a sustained and enduring peace between Benue and Taraba States, their Excellencies the Acting Governor of Benue State Engr. Benson Abounu and the Deputy Governor of Taraba State Engr. Haruna Manu, critical stakeholders of the boundary communities, Security Chiefs and traditional rulers of the two States held a joint security meeting at the Federal University Wukari.

2. The joint security meeting undertook inspection visit to Chonku, Vaase and Kente Communities for on the spot assessment of the level of destructions caused by the crisis and interacted with members of the Communities with a view to finding lasting solutions to the perennial crises.

3. During the inspection visit, their Excellencies emphasized the need for peaceful co-existence amongst the Tiv and Jukun Communities at the boundaries of the two States in the interest of development especially now that the rainy season has set in.

4. More importantly, the youths of the affected Communities were urged to sheath their swords and embrace peace. The meeting further stressed the need for community and security collaboration to achieve enduring peace and further took the following resolutions:
i) The meeting condemned in strong terms the wave of wanton destruction of lives and properties in the two States as a result of the crisis;
ii) The joint security meeting emphasized the need for Tiv and Jukun people who are indigenes of Benue and Taraba States to be loyal to the Political and Traditional Leaderships of the two States and accept the indigineship of the State they belong;
iii) The meeting agreed that the political and Traditional Leadership of the two States should constitute a Committee consisting of two Co-Chairmen and four others from the border Communities affected by the crisis to work out modalities for peaceful co-existence;
iv) The meeting further stressed the need for Communities/security collaborations by reporting all forms of criminality appropriately and not to shield criminal elements in both States and that criminals must be treated as criminals;
v) The meeting stressed the need for full and strict implementation of all the resolutions in the past communiqués issued at the joint security meetings held at Kashimbilla Dam Site in February, 2017, Ugba Township Hall in July, 2017 and the Federal University Wukari in December, 2018 so as to resolve the contentious issues that have always resulted to crisis between the Tiv and Jukun Communities in the two States;
vi) The two States to set up Peace Committee to go round affected areas to assess and determine the level of destructions to the two Governors;
vii) The Acting Governor of Benue State and the Deputy Governor of Taraba State resolved to provide relief materials to assuage the hardship of people in the Communities affected by the crisis
viii) The meeting also resolved that security operatives should respond quickly to crisis situation to avoid devastating effects.

ENGR. BENSON ABOUNU,
ACTING GOVERNOR,
BENUE STATE.

ENGR. HARUNA MANU,
DEPUTY GOVERNOR
TARABA STATE.