*Boss Mustapha*
As part of measures to curtail incessant crisis between the Jukun and Tiv people, the Federal Government met with governors and stakeholders from Benue and Taraba states with commitments to bring needless loss of lives and property in the communities to a halt.
In a communique issued at the end of the joint meeting between the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and stakeholders at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja on Wednesday, participants agreed on strategies which include massive deployment of security forces for intensive patrol and surveillance along border corridors of both states to checkmate the excesses of criminals and enforce law and order.
The meeting identified banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery and lack of clear boundary demarcation between Taraba and Benue states as underpinning causes of criminal activities behind the crisis.
*L-R: Governors Ortom, Ishaku*
It was further resolved that the crisis was purely the internal affairs of Taraba State and not between Benue and Taraba States; as such noted that economic activities have been grounded aside from loss of valuable lives, wanton destruction of property and displacement of communities from their homes.
In spite of these however, participants agreed on readiness of the restive communities to return to the path of peaceful co-existence.
The joint meeting, while identifying the commitment of the Federal Government to facilitate early resolution of the crisis by lending support to peace -building process by the two ethnic groups also stressed the importance of empowering the youths to reduce unemployment and making them useful members of the society.
In addition, the Federal Government is expected to ensure the marking the boundary of the two states and facilitate the implementation of previous resolutions, from the Kashimbila to Markurdi meetings to permanently resolve the crisis.
After intensive deliberation and analysis of the issues, the meeting resolved to immediately order cessation of hostilities to pave way for peace building efforts while governors in the states should make strong pronouncement condemning the crisis and also visit the affected communities for confidence building.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha who represented the President Muhammadu Buhari; former Senate President, David Mark; Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku; his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom.
Other participants include the deputy governors of Taraba and Benue states, Engrs, Haruna Manu and Benson Abounu; Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly, Peter Diah; his counterpart from Benue State, Titus Uba; Secretaries to the Government of the two states: members of the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly from the two States
The Aku Uka of Wukari, Tor-Tiv, other traditional rulers, religious leaders and other critical stakeholders; the security chiefs, the army, the police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were also at the forum.
The meeting was also attended by respected leaders including serving and former members of the National Assembly, serving and former ministers, and representatives of civil society groups, women associations and youth groups from both States.
BEING A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE JOINT
MEETING BETWEEN OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION AND STAKEHOLDERS
FROM BENUE AND TARABA STATES ON THE JUKUN-TIV
CRISIS HELD ON WEDNESDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER, 2019 AT YAR’ADUA CENTER, FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA
The stakeholders meeting on the Jukun-Tiv crisis held on
Wednesday 4th September, 2019.
2. The meeting was attended by:
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha who represented the President of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria;
ii.Former Senate President, Distinguished Senator David Mark
iii. His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Taraba State Arc.Darius Dickson Ishaku;
iv. His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Benue State Samuel Ortom;
V.His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Taraba State Engr Haruna Manu
vi. His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Benue State Engr.Benson Abounu;
vii. The Honorable Speaker, Taraba State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Peter Diah;
viii. The Honorable Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly Rt.Hon. Titus Uba
ix. Secretaries to the Government of the two States:
x. Members of the National Assembly from the two States
xi. Members of the State Houses of Assembly:
xii. Members of the State Houses of Assembly from the two States
xiii. The Aku Uka of Wukari, Tor-Tiv, Other Traditional Rulers
Religious leaders and other critical stakeholders;
xiv The Security Chiefs, the Army, the Police Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps
2. The meeting was also attended by respected leaders including
serving and former Members of the National Assembly, serving and
former Honorable Ministers, and representatives of Civil Society
Groups, Women Associations and Youth groups from both States
3. During the meeting, there were presentations from the Deputy
Governors of the two States, The Honorable Minister of Special
Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, The Tor-Tiv and Aku-Uka of
Wukari, other stakeholders from the two states as well as three
representatives from each State on the crisis.
4. The speakers condemned in strong terms the wanton
destruction of lives and property and the meeting highlighted the
following issues:
i. That the issue of criminality such as banditry, kidnapping and
armed robbery were some of the causes of the crisis
ii. That the crisis could be underpinned to lack of clear boundary
demarcation between the two States;
iii. That the crisis is purely the internal affairs of Taraba State
and not between Benue and Taraba States;
iv.
That the crisis has brought economic activities to a halt and
has led to loss of valuable lives, wanton destruction ol
property and displacement of communities from their homes
and;
V. That the Jukun and Tiv Communities are desirous of peaceful
co-existence;
vi. Highlighted the commitment of the Federal Government to
facilitate early resolution of the crisis by lending support to the
peace building process most importantly coming from the two
ethnic groups and;
VII. Non implementation of Agreements reached out at past
meetings from the Kashimbila to the last one held in Makurdi.
5. After intensive deliberation and analysis of the issues, the
meeting resolved:
i. That there should be immediate cessation of hostilities to pave
way for peace building efforts
ii. That the two Governors should make strong pronouncement
condemning the crisis and to visit the affected communities as
a confidence building measure;
iii. That there should be massive deployment of security forces for
intensive patrol and surveillance of the affected communities
to checkmate the excesses of criminals and enforce law and
order on the border corridors of Taraba and Benue States:
iv. That the restive youths should be empowered as a way of
reducing unemployment and make them useful members of
the society and;
V. That the Federal Government ensure the marking of the
boundary of the two States and facilitate the implementation
of all the Resolutions jointly arrived at by the two State
Governments aimed at permanently resolving the crisis.
H. E. Are. Darius D.S Ishaku,
Executive Governor, Taraba State
H. E. Samuel Ortom
Executive Governor
Benue State
Boss Mustapha,
Secretary to the Government of the Federation.