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------------------------------------------------------------ October 21, 2001 Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR,
Your Excellency Mr. President, THE TIV IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH We the Tiv people write to draw your attention to the planned and deliberate effort to exterminate our people in Taraba and Nassarawa States. The mayhem unleashed against our people is unprecedented in the history of Nigeria, and we dare say, if not checked has the capacity to undermine and destabilise the nascent democracy in Nigeria. Today's ethnic cleansing of the Tiv in these two States is very similar to the situation in Rwanda which degenerated into an irreversible crisis of monumental proportions. We believe we, are now an ethnic group "in the valley of the shadow of death." This is why, at the extraordinary meeting of the delegates of all Tiv people of Nigeria, held in Gboko on the 30th September 2001, we discussed exhaustively current happenings in Nigeria, particularly as they affect the Tiv speaking people. We were especially concerned with the situation in Taraba and Nassarawa States, where a war of genocide is being waged against the Tiv people. Consequently, a decision was taken to intimate you, as our President, on what is going on, and seek your understanding, support and protection. What is required is decisive intervention to restore normalcy, build confidence, and assure our people that they are safe and free in a corporate Nigeria.
TARABA The problem of the Tiv people in Taraba is defined by our relationship with our Jukun Neighbours. We have lived with our Jukun neighbours from time immemorial, long before the advent of colonial rule. During the colonial era, we were always grouped together in the same political units. From Munchi Province to Benue Province, the Tiv and the Jukun co-existed. The position then, was the Tiv being the majority tribe while Jukuns were and still are one of the minority tribes. In fact, the 1947 census put the Tiv population as 34% of Wukari federation, while the Jukun were listed among the others who were 64%. Under the Benue-Province and in fact for some time, Ambassador Jolly Tanko Yusuf (now deceased), a Jukun son, was our Provincial Secretary. In 1959, a Tiv man, Hon. Tangur Gaza, was elected to represent Wukari Federation in the Federal House of Representatives in Lagos. At the creation of 12 States by the General Gowon's Government in 1967, we were all under Benue - Plateau State. We lived peacefully all these times and there was never a time the Jukun and the Tiv fought tribal wars. Your Excellency, the problem between the Tiv and the Jukun started with the creation of additional states in 1976. In the exercise of that year, Benue Province was balkanised: Wukari Federation, which had always been part of Benue, was excised and merged with Muri and Adamawa Emirates to form Gongola; Lafia and Nassarawa Divisions of Benue Province, were also excised and merged with Plateau Province to form Plateau State and the Igalas were, surprisingly brought from Lokoja Province to form Benue State. This marked the beginning of a targeted attack against the Tiv people and to downplay and diminish their numerical strength. A Jukun son, General Danjuma who influenced the State creation exercise, lobbied and succeeded in his anti-Tiv agenda to balkanise the Tiv as the first step to ethnic cleansing. Ever since 1976, the relationship between the Tiv and Jukun in Wukari area of now Taraba State has become bloody. It started early in the life of the defunct Gongola State. The then Sole Administrator of Wukari Division, Malam Ibrahim Sangari and the present Aku Uka Masaibi II, led a band of arsonists in 1977 to attack and burn down Tiv villages. They told the hapless villagers, at that time, that Benue was for Tiv people; while Gongola was created for the Jukuns- arguing that the Tiv people must relocate to Benue State. Your Excellency, you will recall that it was while you were Head of State in 1977 that this incidence happened. It is on record that the Federal Military Government, under your command, ordered the Gongola State Government to pay immediate compensation to those whose villages were burnt. Between 1979 and 1983, the Tiv and the Jukun were members of the ruling NPN. In fact, two Tiv politicians, Hon. David Mtuem and Simon Awua, were elected to represent Wukari in the Gongola House of Assembly. Another Tiv son, Hon. Hitler Gbaaondo was elected under the GNPP to represent Takum Federal Contituency in the Federal House of Representatives in Lagos. Throughout that period, there was no fight between the Tiv and Jukun. The genesis of our problems with the Jukun can be traced to the political transition period of the Babangida administration. Your Excellency will recall that the Local Government Elections of 1987 under that transition programme, were held under a zero party arrangement. In the absence of political parties, religion and ethnic affiliation became a mobilising force. The Tiv, who are mainly Christians as their Jukun neighbours, held consultations together. Two Jukun politicians, both of them Christians, presented themselves for the post of Chairmanship. The Tiv were not interested in that position, they instead wanted the post of Deputy Chairman. Since it was the prerogative of the Chairman elect to appoint his Deputy amongst elected councillors, they went to the two Jukun candidates Messrs Andrew Sulla Tsokwa and Samuel Tsovini Adda bargaining for this position. There was a third candidate in the race, Alhaji Danladi Shehu; to him the Tiv also went - he was willing to have a Tiv Deputy and so the Tiv massively voted for him. He won accordingly, and then appointed a Tiv man as his Deputy. Since that single political action, the Tiv of Wukari have known no peace. The Jukuns have since 1987 repeatedly insinuated that the Tiv have "abused" their "hospitality" and must return to their "home state" in Benue or be eliminated. These campaigns finally led to the famous Jukun-Tiv war of 1990-1993. At the end of that war, the Federal Military Government, under General Babangida, gave a Ten Point Programme of Action, to restore normalcy in the area. This Ten Point Programme of Action has never been implemented except on the Benue State and Tor Tiv side. The Benue-Jukuns are given all citizenship rights. The Jukun are represented in the Tiv Traditional Council even though this should traditionally be, only for Ipusu and Ichongo. The Speaker of Guma Local Government is a Jukun, the Treasurer of Gboko Local Government is Jukun. The Director of Water board is a Jukun, inspite of their being less than 0.1% of the Benue population. Above other rights, the Jukuns in Benue are living in security, and peace, inspite of the killing of Taraba Tiv, by Jukuns, which has been going on since 1992. The failure to implement this ten point programme has again led to the present war of genocide against the Tiv people of Taraba. The Jukuns have even extended the war front this time, from Taraba to Benue State, where several Tiv villages have come under attack and thousands of people killed. In such conflicts, people look up to the state for protection. This is why, when the police and the army are called upon, our people respond with total submission. Unfortunately, today as in the past, the army has become a willing tool of influential Jukun leaders against the Tiv people. The army is often used against unarmed Tiv villagers and have been working in concert with Jukun, while making it impossible for the Tiv that flee their homes in Taraba to return. This explains why Dan Anacha, the biggest commercial centre in Taraba State several hundred miles from Wukari had to be razed as reprisal for killing of "soldiers" at Zaki-Biam, by the Jukuns, as reported on Federal Radio Corporational of Nigeria, Network News. The Tiv have become suspicious and distrustful of the army, especially as a prominent Jukun son is the Minister of Defence.
TERROR AND MASSACRE 13TH MAY 2000 TILL DATE The pattern of this violence against the Tiv is clearly discernable. Each time an election is about to take place, or census conducted, or registration of voters is to take place, the Tiv are under attack. Mr. President, as party and other elections seem to be drawing near, as well as a National Census Exercise, several meetings were held by Jukun groups, planning a systematic genocide against the Tiv. The Jukun reach out to their sons in Abuja, and their retired military, to avail them sophisticated weapons to execute their planned genocide against the Tiv. The Jukun people have resolved to relive the dead Kwararafa Kingdom and have been reorganizing and planning a massive offensive on other tribes especially the Tiv and Kuteb. The Kuteb recently complained to Oputa Panel on the misuse of the army against them. Principal financers of this war are retired military officers who not only provide money, but source for arms and ammunition and induce military personnel deployed to the area to assist them. Two weeks ago, Ibrahim Kefas' team of arms traffickers, was arrested in his retirement service vehicle, at a checkpoint in Shendam. This team of five were sent to the Police Headquarters in Jos. They were carrying all types of military arms, and a large consignment of ammunition. The Commodore's house in Wukari serves as the Headquarters for the distribution of military logistics, including uniforms, arms and ammunition to the Jukun bandits. Inspite of this, government has not done anything to bring this retired officer to book, instead, surprisingly you have directed according to media report, the Inspector General of Police to "probe the source of Tiv militias arms." The atrocities of the army deployed to Taraba State raises serious questions about their neutrality. Since your Defence Minister is of Jukun stock it is difficult to explain if it is accidental that the army under his control is openly partisan against the Tiv people. The Tiv, believe that General T. Y. Danjuma, your Minister of Defence is the brain behind the genocide against them. He has been rabidly anti-Tiv in character and action for long.
THE ROLE OF THE NIGERIAN ARMY IN THE JUKUN-TIV CONFLICT Let us give you a few cases which make our people feel let down by the army and by necessary extension General T.Y. Danjuma, a Jukun son, your Minister of Defence. 1.0 The 1992 - 93 Conflict When the Federal Government approved the deployment of soldiers to Wukari and Ibi Local Government Areas of Taraba State during the 1992/93 Jukun-Tiv conflict, they were effectively used by the Jukun to attack the Tiv all over the conflict areas. The soldiers embarked on disarming the Tiv while the Jukun military were left with their arms, with which they invaded Tiv villages and killed people. 2.0 Attacks on Tiv in Moon, 2000 In the year 2000 soldiers from the 3 motorised Division of the Nigeria Army invaded Moon District, which the Abdulkareem Adisa panel had excised to Taraba State in 1995. Since this is 100% Tiv population, Taraba has rejected these people, and since they were also handed over by Benue State, they remain stateless to date. They fell victim to the ethnic cleansing and had to be eliminated, so that the Jukun could have their land. The soldiers were drawn from the 4 Motorised Battalion, Nigerian Army, Takum, the home of General T.Y. Danjuma. These were, again drafted to the Kashimbila area to lead the attacks on the Tiv by the Jukun. For more than three months, soldiers attacked the Tiv with armoured tanks. The situation was so horrifying that; Wantaregh Paul Unongo had to write a petition to President Olusegun Obasanjo, dated 14th November 2000, complaining about "a dangerous development which has truly reinforced their adventurism and territorial ambition, which they firmly believe are attainable and achievable, via ethnic cleansing and conquest by war, using the Nigerian army." In spite of this petition, the soldiers placed the Tiv of Kashimbila under siege for as long as it pleased their sponsors. Again, who deployed the soldiers with armoured vehicles to massacre the Tiv of Moon District in the Kashimbila border area? 3.0 Attack on Tiv in Ibi On 8th October, the army keeping peace in Taraba State looked the other way, when the Jukuns moved from house to house slaughtering 35 Tiv Civil Servants, some students and burning Tiv houses in Ibi town. 4.0 Attack on Tiv in Gassol On the 12th of October 2001, the Jukun spread their genocide to Gassol Local Government and mounted a road block at Tella, killing Tiv people. Surprisingly, soldiers saw them but made no move to dismantle the roadblock. 5.0 The Genocide at Dan-Anacha The killings continued unabated and on the 13th October 2001, the Jukun attacked Dan-Anacha the largest yam market in Nigeria, and the army looked on as Tiv escaping from burnt houses were hunted and slain by Jukuns. No effort was made to assist them escape. Today Dan- Anacha has been re-named Kwararafa town, confirming the spirit behind the ethnic cleansing. The execution of this genocide is still on. Mr. President may wish to know that the ongoing destruction of property and loss of life going in Taraba State is more than what has happened in Jos and Kano put together. 6.0 The Attacks on Benue Towns and Villages Just like the Kaduna and Jos crisis where men in military uniforms killed and maimed, the Jukun have also taken advantage of the fact that the Minister of Defence is a Jukun. The supposed deployment of the army to enforce peace in Taraba saw these troops waging war far into Benue State. For instance on 6th October a band of soldiers in full battle dress came to Kyado a town 16 Kilometres across the border into Benue State. They attempted to abduct some men, but were resisted and sent back to Wukari. They joined the Jukuns to raze down Tse Abenga, Ukpe, Torgem and Tse Hungwa villages, killing and looting. These are villages in Benue State and not Taraba State, where the soldiers were supposed to keep peace. Another border town Abako in Benue State, was burnt down by Jukun youths dressed in army Uniform, on Sunday 7th October, 2001. the attack came the day a group masquerading as soldiers went to Abako, and surveyed the village. The soldiers who met their untime! ly death at Zaki-Biam were inside the Benue territory and mistaken for Jukun soldiers. 7.0 On the 20th October, soldiers from Wukari moved to Kyado a Benue town near Zaki-Biam and burnt houses and tortured the inhabitants and made arrest, when there was another "peace keeping", army in Benue State, why did they act with such impunity? Misuse of the Army We have attempted to show how the Nigerian Army has been misused consistently, to kill Tiv people, whenever there is conflict between them and the Jukun. Indeed, apart from the Tiv, the Kuteb, a major tribe in Takum Local government Area, was almost annihilated by the army-backed Jukun militia between 1995 and 1999. The Kuteb case was before the Oputa Panel recently. The Tiv, like the Kuteb, believe that the force behind the indiscriminate use of the army by the Jukuns against other ethnic groups is General T.Y Danjuma. General Danjuma's military assistance to the Jukun may have earned him, the traditional title of the Agbonta of Wukari, that is, the War Commander of Wukari in 1994.
NASSARAWA STATE The problem of the Tiv in Nassarawa State is determined by a few elite in the state, who hanker after political power without desiring broad-based mass support. It is this group that wish to suppress the Tiv majority, so that their vested interests can be enhanced. The sole agenda is to deprive the Tiv political, social, cultural and human rights. Like in Taraba the agenda is to call them settlers, and get rid of them. The facts are however so different. Tiv settlement in what is today Nassarawa State predated the colonial era and is similar to Tiv - Taraba State. From the Munchi Province, Benue Province and up to the Benue Plateau State era, the Tiv and the other numerous ethnic groups in what is now known as Nassarawa State lived and coexisted in harmony. The settlement pattern of the Tiv in these areas is characterised by contiguity with their kith and kin of Sherev, Utyondo and Nongov clans of Benue State. The physical features and facts on the ground and documentary evidence from British Colonial Governments up to date, give credence to above stated assertion. Indeed in the state creation exercise of 1992 these areas were placed in Benue State only to be excised back to Plateau State a few days later. The reason for including the area in Benue State in the first instance had to do with the strong presence of the Tiv ethnic group in the area. The Tiv people of Nassarawa State remained where they had always been. The problem started with the creation of Benue and Plateau in 1976. This became heightened with the creation of Nassarawa from Plateau State in 1996. When it became obvious that the Tiv vote had the capacity to influence significantly the results of elections in Nassarawa State. Those who feared the consequences of such influences sowed seed of disunity amongst the other ethnic nationalities in Nassarawa State. By this very act of disorientation, the ethnic nationalities which had hitherto lived with the Tiv without rancour, were goaded into taking arms against their peaceful neighbours and friends. The intention was to drive the Tiv people to Benue State but without the land areas occupied by them being excised to Benue State. These inhuman acts of brutality were centred around, the newly formed but unwarranted and baseless, fallacy, that the Tiv of Nassarawa including those in Awe, Obi and Doma Local Government Areas were settlers. In consequence, the Tiv in Nassarawa State had been and continue to be subjected to all forms of deliberate denial of their fundamental human rights. These include discrimination and deprivation of rights to land use and ownership, denial of; employment, education, political participation, rights to vote and be voted for, and now rights to life and property. Moreover, inspite of their numerical strength, their language is not recognised on the state media. Their traditional and cultural institutions have been wickedly suppressed. Because of this desire to suppress Tiv votes, the local tribes in Nassarawa were thus incited to terrorise and drive the Tiv away from the State, and sporadic killings of the Tiv began to take place. So many Tiv leaders were killed with their women and children and their houses burnt. This genocide agenda went unnoticed for six months until June this year, when a Special Adviser (Special Duties) to the State Governor, was killed by highway armed men, on his usual route to Lafia. Suddenly the world took notice. One life became more important than 500 people killed within the period. Of course, the killing of the chief became a justification for the systematic massacre of Tiv people and the driving away of over 500,000 from Nassarawa into Benue State. Today, Benue has virtually become a refugee camp. The Tiv are refugees in their own country. "Meanwhile, armed bandits in Nassarawa and their sponsors have vowed that they will not allow the Tiv to return, unless t! hey agree to return as immigrants, that is, by signing agreements not to participate in the politics of Nassarawa State. They must accept not to vote or be voted for." So far the Federal and Nassarawa State Government appear unable to provide the safe return of the Tiv to their ancestral lands where they have lived for over four centuries. We wish to acknowledge the positive steps of the Governor of Nassarawa State, to address the anti-Tiv political plot of ethnic cleansing by appealing to reason. He stated correctly that: "The Tiv were together with us in one administrative unit in the old Benue Province since 1926. We were in the Benue-Plateau State together from 1967, when the state was created until 1976 when Benue-Plateau State was split into Benue and Plateau State and the northern part of old Benue State merged with Plateau State. They too were part of this arrangement. Can we now deny them the right to be indegenes of Nassarawa State? We cannot. They have been part of us and they remain part of us. No one can deny them that right as indeed the other tribes cannot be denied their right to be part of this state." The position of the Tiv in Nassarawa, like Taraba and Plateau is very clear. They have lived in these ancestral lands as far back as the 16th century. The Tiv are mostly Christians who are proud of their own religion and culture. However, they respect the religions and cultures of other people. As a multicultural and multi-religious society, Nigeria can only survive by tolerance; by our accommodating each others religion and culture. While the Tiv tolerate others, our neighbours have chosen the dangerous and irrational path of intolerance and aggression against our people. Certainly violence begets violence. If not properly handled, small violence degenerates into a bigger conflagration. This is why we wonder why Nigeria looks the other way when the Tiv are being systematically massacred so that undemocratic, and genocidal forces in Nigeria can unjustly establish themselves into ruling oligarchies by subverting democratic process. They disenfranchised the Tiv during successive military administrations, why must they now programme their massacre and make them fugitives in their fatherland in modern Nigeria? It is also, surprising that a conspiracy of silence exists, to deny Tiv sons appointments as Commissioners in Nassarawa State, as in Taraba State. The enemies of progress have prejudiced and incited the people against the Tiv so much that when the Tor Tiv came to Nassarawa State, at the invitation of the State Government to help broker peace, a bunch of hooligans attacked him, manhandled him, and severely injured his personal bodyguards. Your Excellency, it is our expectation that you will look into these matters urgently. How much insult and disgrace must the Tiv be subjected to, to deserve Peace, Security, the Vote and Justice in Nigeria. Mr. President, you know of a fact, there are Ibos in Delta State who are no less indigenous despite their large numbers in other states in the southeast. The Yoruba in Kwara State are no less indigenous despite their cradle in far away lle- Ife. There is also nothing wrong with the Kanuri presence in Bornu and Nassarawa, the Jukun in Benue, Nassarawa and Taraba, the Nupe in Niger, Kogi and the Federal Capital Territory. Not to talk of the Hausa / Fulani who consider themselves indigenous in virtually all states in Northern Nigeria. What is wrong and unacceptable in the Tiv presence in Benue, Nassarawa, Taraba and Plateau states? Why have we chosen to ignore the fact of their active presence in these areas, centuries before these states were created. Why are we allowing them to be killed today as if they were aliens in Nigeria? The number of Tiv killed in Taraba and Nassarawa State is more than the Kaduna and Jos religiou! s riots, and in fact, more than the Ibo's killed in the North, before the civil war. What has happened to the Tiv must be handled cautiously and the perpetrators of the Tiv genocide be properly arraigned before the courts to answer for these crimes, so that justice can be achieved. Unless this is done, the government would have unwittingly opened a Pandora's box where no Nigerian can settle anywhere, nor is safe from the agenda setters; the rich and powerful, hiding behind state power and tribal extremism, to unleash terror on innocent citizens. The Yorubas, Ibos, and Hausa-Fulani will expect these terrorists to seek whimsically, to confine them to particular locations, states, or towns in future, if the Tiv ethnic cleansing in Nassarawa and Taraba, is not fully addressed and justice done.
OUR PRAYERS We the Tiv people therefore submit, that the Federal Government should do the following: 1. Ensure that Taraba State implements the 10 points Agreement reached in 1992, with the Federal Government. 2. Set up Judicial Commission of Inquiry to look into the remote and immediate causes of the Ethnic crises in Nassarawa and Taraba States. 3. Take immediate steps to ensure the return of the Tiv people of Nassarawa and Taraba states to their ancestral lands, and provide them with security that would enable them carry out their lawful activities in these states. 4. The Federal Government, Nassarawa and Taraba states should ensure the proper rehabilitation of the victims of the crisis. 5. Ensure that displaced Tiv are not disenfranchised. 6. Ensure that Tiv people are adequately represented in the Governments of Nassarawa and Taraba States in appointments of Commissioners and other positions. 7. Replace General T. Y. Danjuma as Defence Minister. 8. Mr. President should visit Taraba State and see things for himself. 9. We request audience for the Tiv delegation of Mzough u Tiv to dialogue for peace. We pledge loyalty to the unity of Nigeria and your government.
Brigadier General (Chief) John Atom Kpera Senator (Prof.) Iyorwuese Hagher For and on behalf of all Tiv people. **** forwarded by |