A meeting of stakeholders from Benue and Taraba States is to be held Wednesday at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja to find a lasting solution to the lingering Tiv/Jukun crisis that has left many dead, the Taraba State government has said.
The Senior Special Assistant to Taraba State governor on Media and Publicity, Bala Abu, disclosed this Wednesday in a statement signed by him and made available to BusinessDay.
The meeting which starts at 12 noon will be hosted by Darius Dickson Ishaku, the Taraba governor, will also have in attendance, Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue State, the statement said.
The crisis between the two tribes in the two states has lingered since about 1991 and has claimed over 1000 lives. The latest casualty in the conflict was the Catholic Priest, Rev. Father David Tanko, who was murdered a week ago in Taraba by yet-to-be identified gunmen, who also set his body ablaze in his vehicle. His remains were buried on Tuesday
Many other personalities, including traditional rulers and political leaders from the two states are also invited to the Abuja meeting, the statement explained.
Among them are federal and state legislators, speakers of the state houses of assembly, security chiefs, other prominent sons and daughters, representatives of youth groups of the Tiv in Taraba State.
The meeting is a follow up to other similar efforts by Gov Ishaku and his Benue State counterpart in the recent past.
These include numerous visits to the affected communities to preach peace, and meetings of stakeholders leading to peace accords that were not obeyed.
Nathaniel Gbaoron, Jalingo
