Alleged attacks, killings in Toto: Gbagyi cultural Association Warns Bassa, Egbura, ..Calls on Gov. Sule to intervene to avert escalation

By David Okpashi

Concerned with the incessant attacks and killings of their natives by warring Bassa and Egbura militias of Toto LGA of Nasarawa state, the Gbagyi Cultural group, Renaissance Foundation, (GCRF), has called on the Nasarawa state governor, Abdullahi Sule to urgently step up measures to address the conflict situation in Toto to avert escalation of crisis in the area.

The association have also warned Bassa and Egbura community not to misconstrued their patience for weakness
as they will no longer accept further attacks on her people from any quarter.

The Cultural association in a statement signed by its secretary General,.Mr Emmanuel Musa, immediately after it national delegates peace conference in Toto and made available to Journalists on Sunday, said for the fact that they had all advocated for peaceful coexistence, any for there attack would not be condone.

The Cultural association which called on governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state to step up action to tame the ugly situation before it escalate, added that they have toe the part of peace over the time.

” Our patience should not be misconstrued for weakness. Since peace which we have advocated for a long time is not accepted by the Bassas and Egbura we have no option left than to resist further killing of our people”, the statement declared.

“We want to make it abundantly clear that we will no longer tolerate any further assault on our local farmers by either the Bassa or Egbura ethnic militia groups who are allegedly killing our people over farmlands”.

“The psychology and world view of our people in Toto LGA have been traumatized due to incessant attacks and mischievous intimidation thereby negatively impacting our social, political and economic proficiency. Despite this visible threat to our existence in Toto LGA, Gbagyi people have tenaciously safeguarded their cherished virtue of peace – loving ethnic group by not resorting to reprisal since inception even in the face of worst provocations.

“This underscores our commitment to peaceful co-existence with our neighbours. On the contrary, Bassa and Egbura have perpetually abused this hospitality taking our sacrifices for granted. The over tolerance of the Gbagyi people have been misconstrued for either cowardice or complacency. On this premise, our meekness have been over stabbed and our patience stretched beyond the rubicon. God forbids the consequences if nothing is done urgently to tame the already brewing tide of vengeance.

“It is against this background that the Gbagyi Cultural Renaissance Foundation (GCRF) wishes to state that:We condemn in the most-strongest terms a subtle attempt to draft Gbagyi people into the age longer Bassa/Egbura crisis. We have never and shall never be party to it. Hence, such insinuations are cheap blackmails aimed at destroying the reputation of our people and also as a tool by the hooligans to perpetuate their criminality. Such attempts shall not longer be taken lightly. Gbagyi people have being and will continue to be the pace-setters as far as peace process is concern in Toto LGA and beyond.

“We shall no longer condone the mischievous killing of her kinsmen by the blood sucking vampires who call themselves militias. Gbagyis are, and shall remain indigenes of Toto LGA on no account should anybody from anywhere either intentional or otherwise label let alone treat them as strangers, hence, they have equal rights to settle anywhere in the area without fear of intimidation so long as they continue with their normal legal business.

“We have paid enough price for the peace of Toto LGA, those already killed have been considered an act of God. But on no account should any of our community be invaded or any of our men targeted and killed. This is totally unacceptable and shall not be tolerated henceforth.

Delegates who attended the conference further said they converged in Toto in their large numbers to mull the peaceful process of sustaining unity, development and cooperation of the Gbagy nation who they said have no enemy anywhere

The statement which further warned of severe consequences should it’s people suffered further attacks on their communities stated that it’s members cut across four states: Nasarawa, Kogi, Kaduna, Niger and the FCT.

The statement statement reads in parts:
“This is because Gbagyi people are generally known to be hospitable, peace-loving and for upholding the dignity and sanctify of human life. We have over the years condemned extrajudicial killings and have never at any material time condoned same in Toto LGA or any other place in Nigeria but, despite our peaceful disposition, we have not been spared,

The agony of burying our beloved ones courtesy of our aggressive neighbours whose only familiar language is violence.It is in view of this that the Gbagyi Cultural Renaissance Foundation (GCRF), a socio-cultural group of the Gbagyi people whose sole commitment is to ensure peaceful and harmonious co-existence amongst all the ethnic nationalities in Toto LGA and beyond, have keenly and carefully appraised the protracted ethno-political crisis between Egbura and Bassa and come out with the following:

That Gbagyi people have unjustifiably recorded more casualties than even the conflicting parties since 1997 till date rising to the tune of 115 lives not to talk of properties worth hundreds of millions destroyed.

Gbagyi have lost several ancestral communities to extinction. These includes Panda, Oba, Gabi, Gbebye, Wnubho, Kpedobuyi, Pmaliyi, Gbagba, Kpakutu and Uttu. Others have been reduced to insignificance, they include Sogene, Kanyehu, Hogumba-Ugya, Ayewawa, Degye, Chakarku, Kokoto, Awozhi, Kolo, Kuwa, Kovo, Turunku, Zokutu, Yewuye, the list goes on due to the mass exodus of our people in 1997/98 and 2003.

According to the statement, there are questions in some quarters to whether or not the remnants of Gbagyi people in some villages are indigenous tribe in Toto LGA, hence, a pseudo-enslavement policy aimed at our people is being enacted in some communities where (Gbagyi) are denied rightful ownership of their ancestral farmlands.

“We therefore call on the Bassa, Egbura to drop their arms, embrace dialogue, the only veritable tool for conflict resolution and peaceful co-existence. Governor Engr. Abdullahi Sule words will fail us to express our gratitude for your commitment to peace and security of the citizens of Nasarawa State and Toto LGA in particular. To us as Gbagyi people, you are rather a father than a Governor, you have kept faith with us during our times of travail and ensured our local population did not vacate their ancestral communities.

“We are not unaware of the efforts of some conflict marchants who are bent on frustrating your peace initiatives in Toto LGA thereby giving their errand boys a filled day to sustain their killing expedition.
“The recent attack in Kuwa by Bassa militias which claimed three lives of our young men and injuring one has confirmed it. This is because more than half of Umaisha/Ugya Constituency of Toto LGA have been displaced”, the statement added.