Skip to main content

Many feared killed in fresh Tiv/Jukun crisis

                                   Nigerian Police officers used to illustrate the story
Many were feared killed on Saturday in a fresh crisis between Jukun and Tiv tribes in Wukari, south of Taraba State.
Fleeing residents said many houses were razed and several people injured in the clashes.
The conflict has affected some villages belonging to both tribes along Wukari Kwatan Sule, Chonku and border communities of Jootar and Vaase.
Trading blames
A Jukun community leader, Bako Benjamin, said despite the peace accord reached last week between the two warring communities, “Tiv ethnic militias have continued to launch pockets of attacks on our communities.”
“Just this morning in the wee hours, they struck at Chonku firing sporadically and razed down houses. They attacked four of our communities in the last three days and as I am talking to you, corpses of 15 people killed by Tiv militias have been deposited in Wukari and we have compiled their names.”
However, Orbee Uchiv, a Tiv spokesman, denied this.
“Our people are being attacked by Jukun ethnic militias in recent times. A peace meeting at Jootar, a border town between Benue and Taraba States convened by one Rev Father Dankaro and other priests to sue for peace was truncated.
‘’Thursday morning, Vaase, a border town was attacked by Jukuns. More than 12 people were killed. Probably on reprisal this morning, Chonku, a border Jukun settlement, was attacked.
“As I am talking to you now, looting, arson and killing within and around villages of Tiv people is going on and hundreds of Tivs have fled to Benue state,’’ he said.
It was gathered that the misunderstanding was due to a long standing dispute between the two ethnic groups and it centered on cultural heritage.
The chairman of Wukari local government area, Daniel Adi, confirmed the outbreak of crisis in the area.
He also said many were feared killed and houses burnt in the last five days of fighting.
“I have since reached out to the Chairman of Ukum local government in neighbouring Benue and the Security Adviser to the Benue Governor and we are making efforts to stop the escalation of the crisis,” he said.
Reports also indicate that commercial activities have come to a halt at the popular Wukari Yam Market as shops were looted.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, David Misal, said security operatives “were on the top of the situation”.
“Security operatives have been deployed in the affected areas, though I am yet to confirm casualty figures in the latest attacks,” he told PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Scores escape death as truck rams into vehicles in Abuja

Many people escaped death on Tuesday, September 8, in Kubwa, Abuja, when a tipper truck rammed into several vehicles.    The crash which occurred at Central market in Kubwa, at about 11 am, left many vehicles damaged. According to one of the survivors, Ngozichukwu, the truck suffered brake failure. and rammed into the vehicles with occupants.   "This tipper failed break and was hitting many cars..... I thought more than 20persons have lost their lives already, people were crying shouting JESUS JESUS  but God was just too much, too kind, too merciful because there was no serious injury and no life was lost.," she narrated.   I don't know how i survived, i thought i was dead i don't know how i survive was all those involved could say( it was indeed a miracle)    It happend exactly infront of central market but God wagged it with diffrent cars and building in order to save lives.Thank You Jesus"     

Photos of the 22-year-old woman mauled to death by a lion in South Africa

-year-old Megan van der Zwan was mauled to death by a lioness in a game reserve near Hammanskraal, South Africa on February, 27. The former student at the University of Pretoria, had accompanied her friend to conduct an interview for an assignment at the Kevin Richardson’s Wildlife Sanctuary, located at the Welgedacht Private Game Reserve outside Pretoria. Police spokesperson Constable Connie Mohanedi said the lioness attacked the pair as they were approaching their car to leave. Mohanedi said an inquest docket was opened, but would not give much information “as the investigation is at a “sensitive stage”. According to reports Megan and her friend were visiting the game reserve belonging to "lion whisperer" Kevin Richardson. They wanted to interview the camp manager. Kevin says they were taking pictures outside the camp when the attack occurred. He says he and one of his experienced colleagues were talking the lions one of their regular weekly walks throu...

Presidential Task Force warns against hasty reopening of schools

  Boss The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Nigeria has warned states against rushing to reopen schools saying such action have escalated COVID-19 management situation in some other countries.   Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha, speaking on Monday August 31 in Abuja said it would be in the best interest of Nigeria to stick to it's slow phased easing of lockdown rules because it was effective.  “It is in the above context that the PTF appreciates the on-going calls for re-opening of the education sector and indeed some sub-nationals are already making preparations for such.' Boss Mustapha said. “Whilst the PTF does not discourage making such preparations, we need to be guided by experiences from countries such as Germany, France, the United States and the UK where opening of schools in some cities led to an increase in confirmed cases and fatalities.”   He also said more sectors of the eco...