Insecurity: Nasarawa state govt moves to end Bassa, Igbira unending clashes, sets up resettlement Co’tt

By David Odama

Nasarawa State Government in an effort to end the prolong clashes between two waring communities of Bassa and Igbira, interfaced with critical stakeholders, security chiefs and traditional rulers to fast track lasting peace between the two ethnic groups in Toto Local Government area of the state.

The meeting which took place at the Conference Hall of Asokoro Nasarawa Governors Lodge Abuja, reviewed parts of the recommendations of the committee earlier set up to examine the issues surrounding the incessant violent incursions in the area as well as the report of security agencies vested with the responsibility of quelling the crisis in the past.

Governor Abdullahi Sule in his opening remarks before the meeting went into a closed doors session described the meeting as an all-inclusive approach aimed at entrenching lasting peace in Toto Local Government area especially between the Bassa and Igbira ethnic nationalities.

” This is an all-inclusive meeting so that we can all be on the same page at the end of the day. We can go back as the same brothers we have been and live in peace with one another. That is the essence of this meeting”, the governor stated

” Earlier, we set up a committee which was Chaired by one of our Royal Fathers, the Emir of Lafia in order to look into this issue of the Bassa resettlement back home which a report was submitted to us and some items were taken out which were the recommendations and we looked at them.

” I first and foremost apologize to some of you who did not understand the reasons for the delay in carrying out the implementation of the committee’s report. Such reports actually are not going to be implemented on the day of arrival

” You need to do more consultations because; we are looking for permanent peace and no matter what kind of recommendations that are implemented you may make somebody happy and make someone else unhappy …

” That is the reason why, you always have to make proper consultations as a leader to ensure that you carry everyone along as you are implementing some of these reports recommendations ” The Governor explained unequivocally.

Sule stressed that his administration is currently going through such processes and that they have passed the first stage. The second stage would be to take the report back to the State Executive Council where they will take a decision and thereafter even set up a committee that will do a white-paper on the report.

” That is the process we are going through at the moment; but while we are going through that, it doesn’t mean that we will go to sleep as we will continue to find ways to resolve the issues ” He declared.

The Governor appreciated the security agencies especially the Commanding Officer of 177 Guard Battalion Keffi for their efforts in quelling the crisis while it lasted.

” Commanding Officer 177 Guard Battalion Keffi took some initiatives on their own to check and do other things which they did. After that, they submitted a report to us, telling us that they were ready to look at the possibility of resettling the Bassa people because the people who are suffering the most are those living in IDPs outside their homes …

” No matter how beautiful the IDP environment is, the fact remains that; you are not home. And sometimes, no matter where you call home looks, it is a place that give you comfort and some where you always look forward to going back to …

” That is the way it is and that is the way we have to look at these people who are actually living in places they do not intend to live. I don’t want to go into the reasons why they left and some of the challenges they are facing at the moment. We are trying to foster lasting peace as we don’t want to take them back today and tomorrow we have another problem ” The Governor added

He disclosed further that these are the very reasons why his administration is doing everything possible to put in place all that is required by carrying along everybody that needed to be carried along in this process.

Engineer Sule equally pointed out that, at the end of the meeting, a decision that is acceptable to all would be taken – not the one that is acceptable to this part of the local government and unacceptable to the other parts.

” That is why we said people from Gadabuke should come, people from Umaisha should come, people from Toto should come and then, we will take the decision for everybody” The Governor stated

Briefing the meeting, Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police Shehu Nadada recall some of the decisions reached at the close door session.

” During our deliberations, we discussed extensively on how a wider consultation would be made and towards that, a committee had already been inaugurated to go for the wider consultations before it’s report would be implemented. They have been given two weeks to look into the issues ” Nadada noted.

On his part the Ona of Toto HRH. Mohammed Umar Azaki (Ohinoyi Ogye) said the meeting reviewed what was said in the past and as the Commissioner of Police Shehu Nadada has said; a committee to carry out wider consultation had been setup to do the needful within two weeks.

” We will make sure that our brothers the Bassa come back home so that we will begin to live in peace and altogether again”, HRH stated.

In his reaction, the Aguma Bassa, HRH. Dr. David Tukura appreciated Governor Abdullahi Sule for summoning the meeting which he described as; timely, necessary and relevant.

He equally lauded the outcome of the meeting which setup a Bassa Resettlement Consultation Committee which is an all-inclusive one with memberships drawn from the traditional institution, security agencies and political appointees of Toto Local Government area of the state.

” This is a very positive development. We now have something to deliver to our people and we are asking everybody as the Governor had appealed. There should be forgiveness. This is not the time to fight. There is a time to fight and a time to make peace. This is the time to make peace …

” The home return of the Bassa people is eminent, is near and will happen by the grace of God and we want to do it by including everybody that is a stakeholder. We asked for prayers for the Governor, prayers for the people of Toto Local Government area so that everything would be done peacefully and successfully ” The Aguma Bassa urged.