Land grab: Tiv Communities alleges herders invasion, accuses monarchs of sponsorship …Calls for Gov Sules’ intervention over Fulani invasion, Seizure of ancestoral homes

By David Okpashi

Crisis of land grab rocking Tiv Communities in Nasarawa South is far from being over as some leaders of the affected Tiv Communities have accused some traditional rulers of responsible for the invasion of their ancestoral homes and farm lands by the Fulani herders.

They have also appealed to the state governor, Engr Abdullahi Sule to further intervene to promptly arrest the traditional rulers continued recruitment of Fulani herders to invade their homes and farm lands despite the constitution of a probe panel to investigate land grab crisis in the southern senatorial district of the state.

It would be recalled that land grab crisis have allegedly continued unabated in the southern senatorial district of Nasarawa State resulting in lost of lives and property.

Recalled also that the state governor, Abdullahi Sule has set up an investigative panel to look into the disputed areas between the Tiv Communities and other communities in the southern part of the state.

Speaking to Journalists at the resumed sitting of the probe panel in Lafia, a Clinical psychologist, Dr Richard Tseku alleged that the affected traditional rulers, the district head of Adogi, and the Osakyo of Asakyo, Osula Inalegu have vehemently refused to honour the invitation of the panel constituted by the governor.

According to Dr Tseku, Tiv community in the southern part of the state have continued to experience attacks by suspected herders allegedly recruited to disposed the Tiv Communities of their ancesstoral homes and farm land.

” I have become a refugee in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja since 2014 due to persistent attacks. My house have been taken over as well as farm land. Despite the persistent out cry by the Tiv Communities over seizure of our ancesstoral lands in the southern senatorial district of Nasarawa state over the years, our people have not seen peace for a long time now”, Dr Tseku lamented.

The clinical psychologist who called on the state governor, Eng Abdullahi Sule to further intervene by calling on the traditional rulers to honour and respect the probe panel in order to find a lasting solution to the crisis of land grab in the area also appealed to the governor to ensure that the Fulani herders were made to relocate and allowed the Tiv Communities return to where their forefathers lived and died.

On his part, one of the Tiv community leader, Joseph Orjeme had allegedly accused the traditional rulers of being behind the crisis of land grab in the Tiv settlements in the southern senatorial district of Nasarawa State.He alleged that traditional rulers were compelling Tiv farmers to donate one third of their produce annually to them if they must live and do their farming in their domains.

Orjeme stressed the need for prompt resolution of the land crisis adding that the Tive community were under siege in the affected senatorial Zone of the state.

Orjeme noted that a situation where original inhabitants have become strangers in their father land was unacceptable adding that state creation was for administrative convenience.

“Our forefathers have been in Nasarawa before the creation of Benue, plateau province. Tiv people in Nasarawa State have no other place than where their Gran parents give birth to us. Why would Tiv in Nasarawa become a stranger in their father land”, Orjeme questioned.

Earlier at the resumed hearing in Lafia, President, Tiv Youth Organization (TYO) who doubled as the counsel to the complainants (TIV Communities ), Barnabas Zayol told Journalists that several appealed were made which led to the constitution of the panel.

Zayol who expressed the hope that the panel would give hope to the communities in line with the desire of the state governor Eng Abdullahi Sule to end the crisis to enable the Tiv people live peacefully in their ancesstoral lands.
Tiv

“Tiv people of Nasarawa state are laudable of the policies and programmes of HIS Excellency, Engr Abdullahi A Sule’s led administration especially in the areas of security, development and unity of the state so we can not be different from the drive in our actions and inaction to drive the process”. Zayol declared.

He then appealed to all the parties involved to respect the committee constituted by the governor whenever they were called upon in the interest of peace, progress and the development in which the governor is noted for in the state.

The Committee Chairman, William Akika appealed to the Communities involved to be patient as the committee would be thorough in it’s investigation assuring that justice will be done to find a lasting solution to land grab in the southern part of the state.

“We will be thorough in our assignment given to us by His Excellency, Abdullahi Sule in a manner that the two parties involved will come to terms with the resolution reached at the end of the exercise.