ISHAKU, ORTOM MOVE TO END BENUE-TARABA CRISIS

By Tony Okechukwu

The Governors of Benue and Taraba States have been given two weeks ultimatum to convene a meeting with traditional rulers to further fashion ways of entrenching permanent peace in the two warring communities of Tiv and Jukun of both states. This was made known in the communiqué issued at the end of a joint security meeting between stakeholders, security chiefs and traditional rulers of the two states held at Makurdi, the Benue State capital at the weekend.

The communiqué which was signed by the Deputy Governor of Benue, and that of Taraba, disclosed that some criminal elements have taken advantage of the crisis between the two tribes to perpetrate criminality in the warring communities. The two Governors were also asked to publicly condemn the crisis and also visit the affected communities as a confidence building strategy to those that were affected in the crisis.
     
The communiqué also urged both governments to empower the restive youths of the affected communities in the two States by providing employment and developing their skills to make them useful to the society as a way of encouraging them to shun violence.
   
It was also resolved that anything concerning the Tiv extraction living in Taraba State should be reported and addressed to the Governor of Taraba State, while issues concerning Jukuns of Benue State should be reported to the Governor of Benue State.

While lamenting failures on the side of government to implement past communiqués issued at the end of various joint security meetings, it was revealed that no adequate deployment of security personnel were made to the affected communities.