Fresh Tiv/ Jukun Crisis Loom: Tiv Community Accuses Wukari LG Boss Of Sharing Their Land To Kinsmen

 

                                      The displaced Mbaterem community in the Jukun/Tiv crisis from Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State have accused the Council Chairman Hon. Daniel Adi of demarcating and sharing their land to his kinsmen.

 

 

This is contained in press statement issued in Jalingo by the Mbaterem Development Association and made available to journalists.

 

 

According to statement signed by the association Chairman, Aondowase Tar and Secretary, Edward Haanongon, the community alleged that the Wukari Local Government Chairman was demarcating the ancestral land of the Tiv people in the area and sharing to his Jukun kinsmen.

 

 

The community appealed to Governor Darius Ishaku and the new Aku Uka to intervene and prevent the situation from degenerating into another round of communal clashes.

 

 

While explaining the pictures of beacons attached to the statement, the group alleged that the beacons were planted by the surveyors employed by the Council Chairman demarcating land in their communities and allocating to Jukuns.

 

 

The statement read, "the land spanning from Zegeate, Ikyernum, Daa Ikyaayar Ikyo-gbolum, Tar Orshi, Tor-Musa down to Tor-Iorshaer located in three different council wards has been surveyed and shared out among the Jukuns.

 

 

"A bulldozer allegedly sent by the chairman has demolished Tse-Atsenga a Tiv community located East of Wukari town between Wukari and Tsukundi.

 

 

"Economic trees have been pulled down, graves excavated, corpses exhumed and remaining of buildings demolished. 

 

 

"We are calling on the State and Federal government to intervene and save the situation and prevent another round of crisis between Jukun and Tiv."

 

 

 

"It is unthinkable to see that this ugly act of inhumanity to human is perpetrated by people whom we coexisted for over centuries.

 

"We are also grossly disappointed by the activities of the Military personnel posted in the area who have abandoned their primary responsibility and are participating in this communal rattle.

 

"The officers posted in Tor-Iorshaer under the leadership of Flt. Lt. Adamu Hassan and Lt. P. O Eze are not just depriving the Tiv people from returning to their ancestral homes, but are always indifferent when armed Jukun youth attack and kill our people who attempt to return to their ancestral homes. They equally pursue our returnees to pave way for the chairman's gang to survey our lands undisturbed.

 

"We want to draw the attention of the Federal Government and the Executive Governor of Taraba State, as well as the general public to this dangerous time bomb being planted by Wukari local government Council Chairman, Hon. Daniel Adigrace, for a quick intervention to avoid a resurgence of the crisis that is almost lay to rest". Part of the release reads.

 

 

 

Reacting to the allegations through a telephone, the Chairman of Wukari Local Government Council, Hon. Daniel Adi Grace did not deny the allegations but stated that, Tiv people in the Local Government are ingrates, owing to what he has being doing to them.

 

"Despite all the efforts I have been making to ensure their safety in this area, they have burnt down my house and destroyed my farm produce.

 

"At the peak of this crisis, my people burnt down my house because I was accommodating Tiv people. How did the Tiv people now expect to co-habit with others who no longer trust them because of their actions? It is sad and unfortunate. Adi stated.