From Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The Kuteb Yatgso of Nigeria (KYN), an umbrella body of Kuteb tribe in Taraba State, has called on Governor Darius Ishaku to end the alleged genocide against its people, before his tenure ends on May 29.
Leader of the group, Mr Emmanuel Ukwen, who made the call at a press conference, in Jalingo, said for the governor’s apologies to the people of the state to have any meaningful weight, he would need to genuinely correct some of the atrocious acts that characterise his administration.
He regretted that efforts made by the communities to end the continued killings in the area were frustrated by the state government.
He insisted that the Kuteb people will not be cowed by the genocide to relinquish their ancestral chieftaincy stool to the governor’s kinsmen, as the governor was championing, and called on the incoming governor, Col Kefas Agbu, to expediently reunite the state and ensure the security of life and property of the people, especially as the farming season sets in.
“You will recall that peace was brokered between Kuteb farmers and Fulani herdsmen late last year, in which 14-point resolutions were reached and signed. Takum and USSA LGAS as well as Yangtu special development area set up implementation committees for Takum, Ussa and Yangtu to implement decisions reached. However, the state government has failed to provide the needed funds for the committees to go ahead with the implementation of the agreements.
“What baffles us was that peace was brokered with herdsmen and then it became an onslaught by bandits. Who invited or hired the bandits? We want the government to investigate and tell the world. It should be noted that, as we speak, dozens of innocent citizens have been killed by the bandits in Takum, Ussa, and Yangtu. Equally, thousands of people have been displaced from their homes.
“The state government has neither visited the people to sympathise with them nor provided IDP camps and relief materials to cushion their hardships. This is, indeed, worrisome. I want the whole world to know that about 80% of Kuteb people are farmers, and with the current wave of attacks, if care is not taken to stop the conflict, farming activities may be grounded and famine will be inevitable in Takum, Ussa, and Yangtu areas.
“We are aware of the public apologies tendered by His Excellency, Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku, recently, at church services in Anglican Church and CAN Secretariat, Jalingo, respectively. We wish to inform the governor and the world that killings are ongoing in most parts of Takum and USSA LGAs as well as Yangtu Special Development Area.
School activities have stopped in the affected areas for over a year now. There is no free movement of people in the affected areas because one could be attacked at any point. We wish to appeal to Governor Darius to use the about one month left for him to stop the genocide.
“The conflict has political undertune to punish the ethnic group for not voting for some political parties. We wish to call on governor Darius Ishaku to do more to protect the lives and properties of the people, in line with his mandate.
“The national population commission has commenced the process of headcount. We want to inform the commission that since early last year, our people in Takum, Ussa and Yangtu special development areas have been displaced in their thousands from their homes, as a result of bandit’s attacks. They can neither go back to their homes because of insecurity nor can census staff dare go to the affected areas to carry out house census. On this note, we wish to appeal to the National Population Commission to look into our people’s predicaments and find a way to ensure that the affected are not left out during the house numbering and headcount as long as they are citizens of Nigeria.
“The present administration in the state should not create problems for the incoming administration because already the state has dozens of problems awaiting the administration at this critical period in the history of Taraba State. All hands must be on deck to salvage the situation.
“Finally, let me reiterate that the Kuteb people will not condone injustice against them. It should be noted that the beginning of a journey does not matter, but how well one ends; the history is not written just for knowledge alone, but for lessons to be learnt, either positively or negatively, depending on which side one chooses to follow,” Ukwen said.