The leadership of Tiv Cultural and Social Association (TCSA) in Taraba State has petitioned the chief of army staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja over alleged land grabbing by the military in Wukari local government area.
The president-general of the TCSA James Baka who addressed a press conference in Jalingo, the state capital yesterday, accused the army of taking over the ancestral homes of the displaced Tivs within Wukari while they resist the return of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
The group condemned the inability of the state government to find lasting solution to the recurrent crisis between Jukun and Tiv since April 1, 2019.
He said, “We want the state and federal governments to know that the Nigerian Army has taken over our displaced homes in Wukari, yet we did not smell those places for over four years now as any attempt to do so always results in harassment by people whom we assume are meant to protect us.
“Even as I address you, the IDPs are in pain as they take refuge in the neighbouring states.
“However, the IDPs who intend to return are facing a lot of threats in various quarters and so many have begun to doubt if really the relative peace has truly come to stay.
“You could recall that the returning IDPs are either chased away by the local authorities or security officers in the various displaced places or even killed, as in the case of Tor-Iorshagher where all of you are witnesses of the killings of four innocent returning IDPs, among those who attempted to return to their ancestral homes.
“We condemn the action of the Nigerian Army who are supposed to give protection to the returnees IDPs but have decided to take side by always chasing the returning IDPs who have been making efforts to return to their ancestral homes.
“We want to call on the Chief of Army Staff to launch an investigative panel for our claims and to take immediate and decisive measures on this matter to prevent the officers from betraying their country and if possible, punish the personnel, who are responsible for the harassment of our people,” Baka stated.
He named the communities which have been taken over by the army as Tor Iorshaegh, Tor Musa, Zegeate, Daa, Ikyernum, Ioryina, Kaduna Shane and Chiina.
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