Displaced Persons Decry Prolonged Stay In Taraba Camps

Displaced persons of Tiv extraction from Wukari local government area of Taraba State have staged a peaceful protest, decrying their prolonged stay in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.

The protesters, largely farmers, are also demanding justice and safe return to their ancestral homes.

They called on the federal government and the international community to intervene in their situation, which they said has persisted since 2019, leaving them without livelihoods and access to basic services.

Addressing newsmen after the protest in Kyado, the leader of the displaced persons, Hon. Terhile Ahur, accused the Taraba State Government, Wukari Local Government Council, and the Wukari Traditional Council of failing to facilitate their return.

Kyado is a border community between Benue and Taraba States.

Hon. Ahur alleged that over 150,000 Tiv people have been displaced from Wukari local government and are currently taking refuge in Benue State.

He claimed that, more than 300 churches, 70 schools, and 30 primary healthcare facilities belonging to Tiv communities were destroyed during the recent crisis.

The leader of the protesters, who traced the recent unrest as an escalation to the crisis of 2019, said the conflict that began as communal clashes between Tiv and Jukun groups in Kente village.

Hon Ahur, who alleged lack of cooperation from relevant authorities, said repeated efforts by displaced persons to return to their homes have been unsuccessful.

The IDP leader also claimed that displaced Tiv residents have been labelled as “settlers” in Wukari, while their ancestral lands have allegedly been taken over by others.

He cited political participation dating back to the pre- and post-independence periods, maintaining that Tiv people have a long historical presence in Wukari, Taraba State.

Hon. Ahur further alleged complicity by security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Army, claiming that military checkpoints in parts of Wukari were positioned in ways that hinder the return of displaced persons.  He called on the Chief of Army Staff to investigate the conduct of personnel deployed to the area.