After almost six months of continuous fighting between the Jukun and Tiv in southern Taraba sSate, the two warring factions on Thursday agreed to a ceasefire to allow the return of normalcy to the affected areas.
This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day peace meeting held in Jalingo with representatives of both tribes, government officials and security chiefs in the state.
The communiqué read in part that, “the speakers condemned the crisis and stressed the need for cessation of all forms of hostilities between the two communities to have way for the peace building effort being spearheaded by the state government.
“The meeting noted that the crisis has been hijacked by criminal elements from both the Jukun and Tiv communities and therefore the two communities should expose the criminal elements amongst them. We also resolved to stop reprisal attacks or revenge from both parties but report all froms of security breaches to the security agencies for appropriate action.
“The meeting also stressed the need for government to take deliberate steps to encourage the Internally Displaced Persons to return to their homes since adequate security operatives have been deployed to the affected communities to protect lives and property.”
According to the communiqué, which is signed by the deputy governor Haruna Manu, Danjuma Adamu and John Mamman for the Jukun community with Jime Yougo and Isaac Waakaa for the Tiv community, urged the journalists to be more positive in their reportage while charging the communities to be weary of rumours capable of inciting the people and destabilizing the entire peace process.
Nathaniel Gbaoron, Jalingo
