Solving the Nasarawa/Taraba/Benue states crises Tiv-Jukun-Alago crises in Nasarawa and Taraba States.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

THE Tiv people like many other Nigerians are indigenous to many more states than Benue State. A large population of them are in Nasarawa, Taraba and Plateau states while some are found in Cross-River and the Republic of Cameroun.

Historically, the Tiv people in Taraba State particularly the Ukum Shitile and Ugondo clans arrived the present area of Taraba State at the same time with the Chamba tribe between 1750 and 1800 ~A.D. According to Dr. Mahmoud Hassan in his Ph.D Thesis on the Rise and Fall of Emirate of Murl 1812 — 1903, the Jukun migrated from Lake Chad Basin to the middle Benue basin where they founded the two states of Kona and Korotofa which were both sacked by the Fulani Jihadists by 17th Century.

In Nasarawa South Senatorial District, the settlement pattern then showed the existence of Isherev, Utyondu and Nongov clans of the Tiv extraction, who lived with their kith and kins and peacefully co-existed with other tribes such as Alago, Koro and Abakpa without rancour since the 17th century.

Historical records by Professor Webster (1775) and Dr. Erim (1981) indicated that with the fall of Kororofa, the Jukun State moved the capital to Puje which was also soon abandoned until a final capital was established at Wukari around 1840. By this time Tiv were already entrenched around the area, which they called Waka.

The arrival of the British between 1800 and 1900 A.D commenced a period of systematic recording of historical accounts of relationship between the ethnic groups. In other words, prior to the arrival of the British, the Tiv had existed with their neighbours — the Jukun, Chamba, Kuteb and other smaller ethnic groups in the area now known as Taraba State. The Alago, Koro, Gwandara, Kamberi and Abakpa were Tiv neighbours in Nasarawa State.

Following the creation of the Northern Protectorate in 1900, the Tiv with all these tribes were part of the then Lower Benue Province. In 1905, the Tiv together with all these tribes were placed under the administrative sphere of Muri Province.

In 1918, all the ethnic minorities south of the Benue River including Bassa, Idoma, Igala, Tiv, Jukun, Kuteb, Chamba, Alago, Koro, Gwandara, Kamberi and others were all united to form Munshi province. Munshi being a term widely recognised as a nickname for the Tiv. The Province covered all the areas now under Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, parts of Plateau and Kogi States.

In 1926, Mr. Palmer then Governor of Northern Nigeria put together all the so-called pagan ethnic groups of the Western end of Muri Province to form Kabba Provinces. The remaining part of the Munshi Province was renamed Benue Province. It covered the present day Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba states. Under this arrangement, Katsina-Ala District was merged with Ibi District to form Wukari Division. The authority of the sacred Chief of Jukun the Aku Uka was extended over these people through the Indirect Rule System of Administration introduced by the colonialists. All lands west of River Katsina Ala were placed under the Southern Protectorate and administered from Ogoja and Obudu in present day Cross-River State. The rest of Tiv lands were administered from Lafia in present day Nasarawa State.

In 1933, Tiv Division was created and Katsina-Ala District was placed under Tiv Native Authority in Gboko. Segments of Tiv clans were left in Wukari division under the authority of Aku Uka of Wukari. The boundary separating Tiv Native Authority Division and Wukari which became known as Wukari Federation was made to fragment through homogenous Tiv villages such as (Gbeji, Vaase, Abako, Sai, Chanchanji and Kashimbila. Some districts/clans were arbitrarily fragmented by conflicting delimitation documents. The boundary divided these villages in such a way that members of the same family were divided with some in Tiv Division and others in Wukari Federation.

Since Benue Province was balkanized with parts excised to Plateau and defunct Gongola states in 1976, the boundary became contentious. The Justice Nasir Commission on Boundary Adjustment observed this anomaly and recommended appropriate adjustments. The Federal Government White paper on the Justice Nasir Report was however silent on these recommendations. Similarly, the request by the Tiv now in Nasarawa State, to be merged with their kith and kins in Benue State was deliberately rejected by the commission. It is obvious that prior to the balkanisation of Benue Province there was no serious boundary problem.

It is the Tiv people who had always lived in what is now Taraba, Nasarawa and Plateau states long before the arrival of the British, yet they are now being called Settlers, Immigrants and Non-Indigenes in these States and who are being systematically killed and forced out of these States. Their only crime is that they speak Tiv. Nigerians would like to know who is an indigene of a state or town or who are the settlers in Nigeria and who are not.

TIV POPULATION IN NASARAWA AND TARABA STATES

The population of Lafia Divisions (which comprised the present Nasarawa South Senatorial District and made up of Awe, Doma, Keana and Lafia LGAs) by the 1963 census was 424,219. The Tiv accounted for 289,559 representing about 49.2 per cent of the total population thereof Although the 1991 population census did not reflect ethnic groupings; going by the indices of the population growth, one has a clear view of the population of the Tiv in Nasarawa South Senatorial District. Inspite of this population of the Tiv people in the area, prolonged Military administration could not address the problems of the Tiv but rather suppressed them.

The 1946 Census gave the breakdown of Tiv in Wukari Federation and its components as follows:

Wukari Federation-37 per cent

Wukari District-51 per cent

Takum District-32.8 per cent

Donga District-33.8 per cent

Wukari Fact Sheets No. 253 (S.E., N.E. and N.W.) of 1923 provided sufficient topographical evidence that the Tiv dominated the areas surrounding Wukari town. The aerial photographs of the Tiv villages included Tor Damsa, Tse Afogba, Tse Kpanadi (all of them Ugondo in present Donga LGA); Tse Agbanyam, Tse Ashiekaa, Tse Nyam, Tse Agbe (Shitire); Tse Daar, Ikyernum, Zegeate, Kyambe, Torluam, Aondogbila, Harabiem, Tse Kanyoon, Jigba, Deke and China (Ukum).

These are the people who are now being tagged settlers and forced out of Nasarawa and Taraba States resulting in these crises and refugees for purely political reasons. The preponderant Tiv populations in the defunct Wukari Federation (now Wukari, Ibi, Takum, Donga and Ussa L.G.As) Nasarawa State (Lafia, Obi, Doma, Keana and Awe L.G.As) have been a constant source of worry to Tiv neighbours who are at pains to share political positions with the Tiv. This is the root cause of the incessant crises between the ethnic groups and the Tiv.

CAUSES OF THE CRISES

THE CRISIS IN NASARAWA AND TARABA STATES REVOLVE AROUND POLITICS AND LATELY LAND.

In Nasarawa State, successive democratic administrations had found it completely impossible to ignore the plight of the Tiv people in view of their population. During the second Republic therefore, Tiv people did not only have effective representation at the Local Government Councils in the areas aforesaid, but were also represented at National Assembly by one Hon. Athanasius Tyo who was elected to represent Awe, Keana and Doma Federal Constituency. In 1999 Tiv people won election to the various Local Government Councils as well as the State Assembly. To further address the imbalances that hitherto existed and suppressed by Military Governments, the Government of Abdullahi Adamu appointed Tiv sons into key positions of the State Public Service — (i.e: one Special Adviser, one Permanent Secretary, one Secretary, Teachers Service Commission (TSC), one Chairman of Board, one Commissioner of the State Electoral Commission(NASIEC) among others).

Besides, the Tiv people who hitherto had lived in isolated/dispersed settlements, have since the commencement of the present democratic government embarked on reorganisation of their settlement in such a manner that will not only enhance their economic base but also assist government’s provision of social amenities.

Seizure Of Farmland

In Nasarawa State, indiscriminate and systematic seizure or confiscation of farmland from the Tiv people and same allotted to others has been the common feature . This practice accounts for the Doma crisis of 1990 between the Tiv and Alago. The latter blatantly denying the first of their legitimate use of their farmland. There are such

It is worthy to note that these lands have been the exclusive preserve of the Tiv people for centuries yet indiscriminate alienation became the common feature. Complaints made by Tiv people in this regards were never addressed. Also a letter of complaint about land on the 7th June 2001,’ was addressed to the Executive Chairman, Obi Local Government Council by Mathias Gada.

The crisis in the Nasarawa South Senatorial District is therefore aimed at curtailing the alleged fear of Tiv domination based on their population. The starting point of the aggression has always been on land.

In Taraba State too, political gains of the Tiv people in the defunct Wukari Federation (Wukari, Ibi, Takum, Donga and Ussa) have been a constant source of worry to the Jukun.

The following Tiv people were either elected or appointed to political positions:

C. T. Gaza defeated a Jukun candidate, Usman Sangari, in the 1959 election and represented the Wukari Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

During the Second Republic, Simbn I. Awua and D. K. Mtuem were elected into the Gongola State House of Assembly in1979/83.

Mr. Simon I. Musa was appointed Caretaker Chairman of Wukari Local Government Council by the Abubakar Barde Administration, 1979-83.

Hitler Gbaaondo represented Takum Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, 1979-83.

Hon. Tsetim Gwaikyaa represented Donga Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in 1983.

Alhaji Bamanga Tukur appointed Emmanuel Yawe Chief Press Secretary in 1983 and by Group Captain J.D. Jang in 1987.

Bamanga Tukur appointed Dr. Samuel Tor-Agbidye Commissioner for Health in 1983.

Rev. Jolly Nyame appointed Orbee Uchiv Special Adviser in 1994 and 2000.

These appointments, both during democratic rule and the military, angered the Jukuns. The climax of the anger came when in 1987 the Hausa and the Tiv won the Wukari Local Council election as Chairman and Deputy, respectively, under the Zero Party election. Ever since then, the Jukun vowed never to allow "settlers and immigrants’’ to share political power with them.

The elections of 1987 once again reinforced the fears of the Jukun and Alago of Taraba and Nasarawa of their domination politically by the Tiv people. They therefore mapped out several strategies to curb such domination. These included denial of registration and non-provision of election materials in predominantly Tiv areas. Where it was not possible to subvert Tiv participation in the political process through these methods, physical destruction of votes was recommended. Inspite of these, the Tiv impact continued to be felt, hence the decision to adopt violence to disrupt elections and ultimately to dispossess the Tiv of their lands and chase them out of the so-called land of Jukun and Alago.

ELECTIONS OF 1990 (NRC & SDP)

The Jukun used the strategies outlined above to wrest political power in 1990. Their success emboldened the Jukun to adopt violence as a political weapon as well as a weapon for land acquisition. From 1990, prominent Jukun systematically took over Tiv land with the connivance of local courts and official titles of ownership being backdated. The present Aku Uka, Mallam Shakarau Angyu, and Barrister Baba Adi were among beneficiaries of this policy. Renaming of Tiv settlement followed the lands so confiscated. Group Captain Ibrahim Kefas (rtd) seized such land whose Certificate of Occupancy was revoked by Col. Mamman Dickson MILAD of Taraba State, 1995.

The crisis of 1990-1993 was caused by this policy. In 1993 — the Federal Government again intervened to broker peace and issued a 10-point plan of action. By this charter, the government of Taraba State was to provide commensurate political appointments to Tiv indigenes of Taraba State among other provisions. The non-implementation of the ten-point agenda is largely responsible for the lingering crisis.

Attacks on Tiv in Moon District, 2000:

In the year 2000, soldiers from the 3 Motorised Division of the Nigerian Army invaded Moon District, which the Abdulkareem Adisa panel had excised to Taraba State in 1995. Since this is 100 per cent Tiv popu1ation, Taraba has rejected these people, and since they were also handed over by Benue State, they remain stateless to date. They fell victim to the ethnic cleansing and had to be eliminated, so that the Jukun could have their land.

The soldiers were drawn from the 3 Motorised Division, Nigerian Army, Takuni, the home of General I. Y. Danjuma. These were, again drafted to the Kashimbila area to lead the attacks on the Tiv by the Jukun. For more than three months, soldiers attacked the Tiv with armoured tanks. The situation was so horrifying that; Wrnitaregh Paul Unongo had to write a petition to President Olusegun Obasanjo, dated 14th November 2000, complaining about "a dangerous development which has truly reinforced their adventurism and territorial ambition, which they firmly believe are attainable and achievable, via ethnic cleansing and conquest by war, using the Nigerian Army." In spite of this petition, the soldiers placed the Tiv of Kashimbila under siege for as long as it pleased their sponsors. Again, who deployed the soldiers with armoured vehicles to massacre the Tiv of Moon District in the Kashimbila border area?

PRESENT CRISIS

The crisis in Nasarawa South Senatorial District of Nasarawa State was never ignited by the Tiv people but rather, based on the foregoing factors of Tiv domination and population, a conspiracy was hatched and mercenaries were hired to eliminate and displace the people. Consequently, Tiv people were meted with all sorts of discrimination and marginalisation that culminated into silent and secret killings and inspite of all distress calls and complaints, no measures were taken by the law enforcement agents to nib in the bud the atrocities committed on the Tiv race in Nasarawa State.

On the February 4, 2001, the hired mercenaries commenced the raiding of Tiv villages around Agyaragu in Obi Local Government areas. Eleven (11) Tiv people were murdered in cold blood and their villages razed down and properties looted and carted away. Government’s attention was drawn to this incident. No single arrest was made.

By March 27, 2001, the genocide being executed by the mercenaries started in Kundum, Quanpam Local Government Area of Plateau State and quickly spread into Awe Local Government Area sweeping across the entire Azara, Wuse, Akin, Tangwa and in the entire Azara chiefdom.

Before this period, several distress calls/letters were made to the Government and Security Agents but such complaints were simply ignored.

On the March 10, 2001, a complaint against incessant terror on the liv people in Azara chiefdom, Awe Local Government Area of Alh. Musa Ibrahim (the Sarkin Azara) was addressed to the Government of Nasarawa State by President, Tiv Youth Organisation Nasarawa State.