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Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo Following Friday attack that claimed over thirteen lives in some villages in Wukari local government area of Taraba state, Gov Darius Ishaku has directed the heads of various security agencies in the state to ensure deescalation of the ongoing communal clashes between Jukun and Tiv in the border villages between Benue and Taraba States. In a statement issued in Jalingo on Saturday and signed by Mr Bala Dan Abu, senior special assistant on media to the Governor, Ishaku charge the security agencies and community leaders in both sides to ensure that normalcy returns to the troubling areas as soon as possible to enable the people return to their normal lives. Gov Ishaku noted that the two warring groups have nothing to gain and everything to lose by taking arms against each other as it will not only cause the deaths of many and destruction of property, but it will also disrupt their farming activities which is the major means of sustenance for them. He urged community leaders to curtail on their people to lay down their arms and embrace peace and a sense of togetherness that is requisite for any meaningful development. “Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku is greatly saddened by the news of the unfortunate violent clashes between Jukuns and their Tiv neighbours in Kente and Rafinkada which occurred on Friday May 10, 2019. Like the ones before, this resulted in the loss of innocent lives and the destruction of valuable properties, and should not be allowed to happen again. “The Jukuns and the Tiv living in the border communities have every reason to live together in peace. They are both farmers struggling to erk a living mainly from the produce from their farms. Peace between the two groups is essential for this to be sustained for their mutual benefit. It is, therefore, crucial for residents of these communities to deliberately seek and promote peace between themselves.” The governor who acknowledged the quick response of the police and other security agencies that has led to the return of relative peace, appealed “to leaders of these communities to play their part by prevailing on their people to drop their weapons and to cooperate with the security agencies to ensure that peace is sustained among them”. Our correspondent reports that there is widespread tension in the state as security concerns continue to escalate even to the state capital where kidnappers and armed herdsmen are on the prowl, despite remarkable efforts by the state Police command to stern the tide. Over a hundred persons have been reportedly killed since the hostilities started a few weeks ago while Friday evening attack led to the death of at least thirteen persons from both sides, despite peace efforts from governments of both states.
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