By Takuruku Emmanuel, Lafia
TIV community in Nasarawa state has dismissed claim by the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association,( MACBAN), in the state that some Tiv farmers from the state attacked and killed four herdsmen in Kadarko area of the state.
The leadership of (MACBAN) had in a media report published by some dailies alleged that some Tiv farmers from Kadarko, Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa state, conived with their kinsmen from Benue to kill some herdsmen and rustled their cattles in the area.
The leadership of Tiv community in Nasarawa state, yesterday dismissed the allegation, saying no Tiv from the state was involved in the clashes between some herdsmen and farmers at the border areas of Benue and Nasarawa states.
The leadershipof Tiv community in a statement jointly signed by Mr. Boniface Ifer, President Tiv Development Association and the Prseident Tiv Youth Organisation in the state, Comrade Peter Ahemba said findings by the Tiv leadership revealed that the said clashes originated from Angwan Ayaba village in Yelwata area of the neighbouring Benue state and not from Nasarawa state as being alleged.
“From our findings, the Fulani herdsmen had disagreement in the farm with a woman around Angwan Ayaba of Yelwata in the neighboiring Benue state which resulted to a bloody clash”
“The area where the trouble started and the people involved are farmers from Benue state so it is wrong for anybody to link the Tiv people of Kadarko and Nasarawa state in general to the incident”
The Tiv leaders described the allegation of Tiv’s involvement in the clashes as a deliberate and calculated attempt to destabilise the community and force them out of their ancestral homes.
“Each time the Fulanis have issues with the Benue people, they come and attack us in Nasarawa. We are citizens of Nasarawa state and not Benue, this is a fact the herdsmen must appreciate and stop attacking us whenever they have issues with the Benue people”
“This allegation that the Tiv people of Kadarko attacked and killed some herdsmen is clearly a case of giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it”
The statement applauded the Nasarawa state government, security agencies and the traditional rulers including other stakeholders in the state for their relentless efforts in ensuring that calm prevailed in the state.