Tension rocks Nasarawa as suspected herdsmen kill 4 Tiv farmers, others injured

Panic has gripped several communities in Nasarawa State after a series of brutal attacks reportedly carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen left four Tiv farmers dead and many others injured.

The attacks, which took place across Tiv-dominated areas in three separate local government regions, have sparked renewed fears and heightened ethnic tensions in the state.

The disturbing incident was brought to public attention during a press briefing on Monday in Lafia, the state capital, by the youth wing of Mdzou U Tiv—a sociocultural organization representing the Tiv ethnic group in Nasarawa. The group condemned the killings, calling on security agencies and the government to urgently intervene and bring the perpetrators to justice.

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According to the group, the serial attacks have not only resulted in fatalities but also left scores of people wounded and displaced, with many communities now living in fear.

“We are deeply saddened because this act of violence being perpetrated by armed herders on aboriginal Tiv farmers in Nasarawa state is not only reprehensible but a direct assault on the core value of unity, peaceful coexistence and progress that the Tiv people in the state have attained over the years”, Phillip lamented.

The group regretted that despite effort by the Governor Abdullahi Sule’s community peace initiative, Fulani attackers are still rampaging in communities killing and destroying farms.

The chairman of the group Philip Non’gu, said that the attack took place at Dooga Ayande of Doka ward, Antsa of Kwara of chiefdom, Tse Yange of Tudun Adabu and Tse Akira of Galadima.

The farmers killed according the Mr. Philip include Terra Twanbee, Sham Kyodo, Zaki Kwaghtager Ordu and Teryem Aondo, with many others sustaining various degrees of injuries, currently receiving treatment at the Federal University Teaching Hospital Lafia and other hospitals.

“The attackers also did not spare farms and farm produce. The attackers uprooted planted seedlings from the heaps and roasted them on fire while crazing on maize and sesame farmers belonging to Tiv farmers, and six bajaj motorcycles belonging to Tiv farmers were burnt and others were stolen.

The chairman noted that the sporadic attacks have led to the displacement of over ten thousand people from their communities, currently taking refuge in Kpata, Agyaragu, Kadarko and Idadu.

Among the crops destroyed are rice, cassava, water melon, groundnuts, among others, worth millions of naira.

To ameliorate the suffering of the affected individuals, Phillip appealed to the Federal government to ensure that Tiv communities in Nasarawa State are protected against attacks, so that they can engage in farming and other activities.

He also called on the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Nongovernmental Organisations in the state to intervene and provide succour to the internally displaced persons.