The Commission of Inquiry instituted by the Benue State Government to investigate the Tiv/Jukun crisis in Abinsi and Fiidi communities has recommended the prosecution of perpetrators of the crisis.
Justice Wilfred Kpochi, Chairman of the commission, stated this on Wednesday in Makurdi, while submitting its report to the state government.
Kpochi said two factors: land dispute and chieftaincy matters, in both communities were responsible for the crisis.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Abinsi is a community located in Guma Local Government Area of the state, while Fiidi is in Makurdi LGA.
NAN also reports that the crisis took place in the first quarter of 2019, resulting in the loss of lives and destruction of property within the communities.
Kpochi said the state government should ensure that security agencies conduct further investigation to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the crisis.
He said those responsible for the crisis were from both communities.
Kpochi said: “The immediate causes of the crisis at both Abinsi and Fiidi emanated from the ashes of the twin problems of land and chieftaincy related disputes.
“In the course of this assignment, we identified some protagonists within both communities that were at the forefront and fueled the crisis.
“We isolated some of these characters, but we have no power to sanction them.
“We, therefore, recommend that security agencies should be called upon to do a more discreet investigation of some persons named and others that will link them to possibly prosecute them to serve as a deterrent to others of their ilk.
“As regards the perennial disputes over chieftaincy matters within the communities, and elsewhere in the state, we recommend the strict application of the provision of the Benue State Council of Chiefs and Traditional Councils Law 2016 as the antidote.
“On the land disputes among members of the communities, we have generally noted that rapid population growth within the communities has brought a lot of pressure to bear on the available land mass that does not expand.
“Under our laws, land generally belongs to the Government so we recommend that the Government should intervene by regulating land acquisition in accordance with the provisions of the Land Use Act.”
The chairman thanked Governor Samuel Ortom for the confidence reposed in them and pledged to always be available for future assignments when called upon.
Receiving the report, Governor Ortom said both Tiv and Jukun, who are indigenes of Benue State, must respect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and laws of the state.
Ortom said nobody would displace any Jukun indigene of the state from wherever he chose to reside, adding that they are also members of the Tiv Traditional Council as indigenes.
He said his administration would ensure that those behind the crisis were apprehended and sanctioned.
He said: “Nobody owns the land except the government,” adding that Tiv/Jukun must learn to live together in peace for development to thrive.
He added: “As long as you are living in Benue, you must be law abiding, the same way Tiv people living in Taraba should comply and be law abiding to the laws of Taraba State.
“One thing that is common that unites an average Tiv man and that of Jukun man here in Benue is that poverty is very common among us.
“So, we do not need to go and start destroying the little things that we have.
“Go round Nigeria, people that live in round huts are Tiv and Jukun.
“It is a shame that the little we have struggled to put together we still destroy in the name of crisis.”
Ortom warned that there should be no form of harassment from both side of the affected communities.
—