At least two Tiv farmers have been reportedly murdered in a recent attack in the Obosidima community, allegedly over a land dispute in Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The incident, which occurred near the Nasarawa-Benue border, involved indigenous Alago and Tiv farmers, resulting in four deaths and several injuries.
Mr. Isaiah Audu, President of the Tiv Youths Organisation in the state, in a statement made available to journalists in Lafia on Thursday, expressed concern over ongoing attacks on Tiv communitiesThe statement urged the Nasarawa State government to urgently intervene to address the persistent violence against Tiv people in the state.
Mr. Audu described recent weeks in Keana LGA as perilous due to escalating conflicts between Tiv and Alago communities, which have disrupted their once peaceful coexistence and jeopardised agricultural activities crucial for combating hunger and starvation.
“We stand before the press today with profound sorrow witnessing the erosion of peace in a community that has long enjoyed harmony,” Mr. Audu lamented.
He recounted a series of incidents, including an attack on June 24, 2024, at Bakin Kotar, a border community between Keana LGA of Nasarawa State and Guma LGA of Benue State, where Alago farmers were reportedly assaulted on their farms. Subsequently, a reprisal attack targeted Tiv individuals in Keana town, resulting in additional casualties.
Responding to allegations, Mr. Mohammed Oshafu, President of the Alago Ikweyi Ggayi Development Union, denied involvement of his kinsmen in the violence. He claimed Tiv farmers attempted to forcibly take over ancestral lands, leading to confrontations.
In response, Governor Abdullahi Sule, though Dr. Margaret Otaki Elayo, Commissioner for Humanitarian, Special Duties, and NGOs, expressed deep concern while visiting Internally Displaced Persons camps in the area. She said the governor has ordered an investigation of the crisis and reiterated his administration’s commitment to securing lives and property across the state’s 13 local government areas.
