- * Calls For Gov Sule's Intervention Over Fulani Invasion, Seizure Of Ancestral Homes
By David Okpashi (Nasarawa State Correspondent, in Lafia)
Crisis of land grabbing 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 being responsible for the invasion of their ancestral 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 grabbing crisis have allegedly continued unabated in the southern senatorial district of Nasarawa State, resulting in loss of lives and property.
Recall 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 disposses the Tiv Communities of their ancestral homes and farm lands.
"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 lands despite the persistent out cry by the Tiv communities over the seizure of our ancestral 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 allow the Tiv Communities to 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 grabbing 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 Tiv 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 our grand parents gave 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 appeals 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 ancestral lands.
"Tiv people of Nasarawa state are laudable of the policies and programmes of His Excellency, Engr Abdullahi A Sule 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. NNL.
