The Tiv Culture and Social Association (TCSA) the umbrella body of Tiv people of Taraba on Monday appealed to both Federal Government and the state to deploy security for the safety of the returnee Tiv Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Wukari local government area of the State.
Chief James Baka, President General of the Association made the call while addressing newsmen in Jalingo.
Baka called on the Taraba state and Federal Government to provide relief materials to the returning IDPs, and double up efforts to resettle majority of them who are still wallowing in pains in the various places they are taking refuge.
He also appealed to both Federal Government and the state to mobilise North East Development Commission (NEDC) and Taraba State Emergency Management Agency (TASEMA) respectively to urgently swing into action with the view to alleviating the affected people from the inhuman situation they had been passing through for over four years now.
“We therefore, call on the State and Federal Government not to hesitate, but deploy all immediate and necessary means especially in the areas of providing security for the returning Internally Displaced Persons for our people in Wukari and other Local Government Areas in Southern Taraba to enable the Tiv displaced persons go about their lawful businesses.
“We urge the Government of Taraba State under the leadership of His Excellency, Dr Agbu Kefas to personally visit the returning IDPs in Wukari. This will provides them a spirit of belonging and will also give them confidence in the governor’s resolve to end the crisis.
“We call on private, cooperate and spirited individuals to come to the aid of our people by providing relief materials and praying for them on daily basis to set them free form this precarious situation” he said.
The president general recalled that personnel of the Nigeria Army recently chased some Tiv returnees IDPs from resettling on their deserted homes after the prolonged Tiv Jukun crisis of 2019.
“The TCSA condemn in totality, the inability of the Taraba State Government to find a lasting solution to the recurrent Jukun Tiv crisis which has been on since 1st April, 2019 up to date and call on the Federal and State Government to end the crisis forthwith as well as provide security to the Displaced Persons to enable them enjoy all their civic rights.
“We also condemn the action of Nigerian Army who are supposed to give protection to the IDPs but have decided to take side by always chasing the returning IDP who have been making efforts to return to their ancestral homes
“We want the State and Federal Government to know that Nigeria Army have taken over some of our displaced homes in Wukari for over four years now as any attempt to return always meet resistance from the army.
“We want to call on the Chief of Army Staff to constitute a panel of enquiry into this claims to enable the army establish the validity of our claims and to act accordingly” Baka said.
Thousands of people are displaced as a result of the Tiv Jukun communal crisis that started since 2019 and have led to the destruction of whole communities and death of hundreds.
