Toto local government area occupies a special place in the history of Nasarawa State. It is a gateway local government to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Economically, apart from its abundant solid mineral deposits, it is a very vibrant local government with good vegetation and soil for farming. Its economic viability has earned it a nick name “Samu naka.” Civil servants, particularly staff of local governments in 1990s lobbied to be posted to Toto as they have a lot of farm produce like yam, maize, melon, millet, fish and plantain, to take to their families during weekends.
In terms of high-profile appointments and contributions to the development of Nasarawa State and that of the country at large, Toto has given its modest commitment. The local government produced the first chief judge of the state and at a later time, produced another chief judge.
It has also produced an Ambassador to Poland, Solicitor-General of FCT, Abuja. It also produced both state chairmen and secretaries of political parties that ruled the state at different times as well as speaker of the State House of Assembly. Currently, Secretary to the State Government is also from Toto.
It was a local government laid on a solid foundation of its material and human resources. Unfortunately, Toto has lost its glory as incessant crises have dug its path and its foundation greatly shaken.
Down memory lane, on May 8, 1986, Toto witnessed a civil disturbance that attracted a front-page story of the defunct “New Nigeria Newspaper.”
Since the 1986 crisis, it has been from one conflict to another and as the mayhem continues, its devastating effect multiplies. Twice, one of the warring factions in the crisis had to leave Toto to take refuge elsewhere.
Today, the good news is that the internally displaced people are back to Toto. Like Monday, July 30, 2000 and Monday, February 10, 2025, have again gone down in history as the day the Bassa people and other displaced persons returned to Toto.
How Are The Returnees Faring?
In the Toto axis, people have returned to Muanya, Sardauna, Mateni and Gbonokwo communities and have started clearing farmlands for the rainy season.
In all the areas visited, the streams which are their main source of water for domestic use have dried up and the people are in dire need of good drinking water. In Gbonokwo, the source of water is being shared with animals and most of them pass their nights under mango trees. Only two houses have been raised in the entire community, though some people take shelter in a dilapidated primary school building.
A resident of Gbonokwo village, Danjuma Daudu, shared a horrifying experience, pointing to a valley which is part of his farmland he has cleared. He said, “In this valley, I met skeleton of human beings. I had to clear the bones and bury them. It is indeed terrible to have this experience.”
The people defecate in an open space for lack of toilets. The situation in Gbonokwo community is almost the same the returnees are facing in their respective villages.
In Ushido village, quite a reasonable number of displaced people have returned, engaged in farming activities like planting of maize, melon and transplanting of pepper.
Their only source of drinking water is a contaminated stream. All other sources of water have also dried up. The residents of Ushido go as far as Abaji Area Council in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to get good drinking water.
Our reporter who was recently at Ushido village met the villagers and Fulanis together in a meeting discussing crucial issues including security issue.
They discuss how to avoid farmers/herders clashes as the farming season befbins in and presern of their source of water among other burning issues. Both the Fulanis and the natives were seen interacting freely and learning how to speak each other’s dialect.
In Ugya, life is less stressful as the administration of the Executive Chairman, Pharmacist Ahmed Baba Yahaya has drilled boreholes for the returnees and provided some other social amenities.
A young farmer, Emmanuel Philip Goje was bitten by a poisonous snake while on his farm at Ugya and was rushed to Abaji General Hospital in Abuja for treatment.
Goje told our reporter that he has spent over N500,000 (five hundred thousand) Naira on treatment and the local government chairman, Pharmacist Ahmed Baba Yahaya contributed money for his treatment and feeding while in the hospital.
In Katakpa, people are fast coming together in unity. Katakpa market has reopened, both economic and social activities are picking up.
Recently the local government chairman was in Sere – Katakpa and launched the 2025 cropping season.
Speaking to our reporter in Ugya, Moses Bamaiyi Gwatana Dangana commended the efforts of Governor Abdullahi Sule, Pharmacist Ahmed Baba Yahaya, traditional rulers, security agents and other critical stakeholders in making the return of the displaced people in Toto possible.
The Ohimegye Opanda Umaisha, Alhaji Usman Abdullahi and Ona of Toto, HRH Alhaji Umar Mohammed Azaki, called for calm and peaceful co-existence among all ethnic groups in the local government area.
In Gbonokwo, the Bassa and Egbura hunters now go after sports together in the forests.
The people appreciated the state government for the various interventions to make the returnees feel comfortable, but pleaded for more social amenities like potable water, health facilities and access roads amongst others.
As a resident of Toto who does not want his name in print said, “By now, both the Egbura and Bassa have realised their mistakes. Who has really gained in these senseless killings and destruction of property?”
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