President Buhari
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Peter Duru, Makurdi & Femi Bolaji
President Muhammadu Buhari has given a marching order to the governments of Benue and Taraba States as well as their traditional rulers to bring to an end the hostility between the Tiv and Jukun people.
The order came on the heels of the recent gruesome murder of a Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. David Tanko by yet to be identified persons at Kpankufu village on Wukari road in Taraba state.
President Buhari in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, also directed the Tor Tiv, the Aku Uka of Wukari, religious and community leaders in the two states to meet urgently to bring an end to persistent violent clashes between the two ethnic groups.
The President in the statement in Abuja on Friday said, “The murder of the Catholic Priest highlights the urgency of addressing this embarrassing and persistent conflict.’’
Describing such frenzy of human destruction, violent attacks on people and property in the communities by the warring parties as unacceptable, President Buhari said the Federal Government would not sit idle and watch the deep-seated antagonistic relationship between the Tiv and Jukun people fester.
According to him, “I have watched with trepidation and disbelief how hate and bigotry have inhabited the human soul, resulting in brothers killing brothers. ‘On behalf of the Federal government and the entire people of the country, I offer my condolences to the Catholic community, the government and people of Taraba over the losses arising from recent incidents involving the warring communities.
“The persistent deaths and destruction and the seeming desire by the warring sides to push each other to extinction is embarrassing, and this is against the essence of our ethnic and religious diversity in the country. Progress is impossible where violence and destruction are allowed to dominate our daily lives.’’
Acknowledging that the Tiv/Jukun violence was one of Nigeria’s most persistent and intractable security problems, President Buhari assured the affected communities that the Federal government will not leave them to their fate or treat cases of communal violence with levity and indifference.
He said, “The deployment of security men can only provide a temporary solution. ‘The long term and lasting solution to this deep-seated antagonistic relationship between the warring factions depend on the willingness of those involved to listen to reason and give peace a chance.
“It is time for leaders of the ethnic groups to come together and draw up a roadmap for lasting peace. The impact of this persistent violence on the social and economic life of the people is incalculable.”
The statement noted that a high level intervention from the Federal level made up of religious, community leaders and top security operatives was being put together by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, to examine all issues underlying the conflicts in the hope of finding a permanent solution.
Ortom describes murder of Catholic Priest in Taraba as barbaric, shocking
Meanwhile, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has condemned the killing of Reverend Father David Tanko of St. Peter’s Catholic Parish, Amadu, Taraba State by gunmen describing it as barbaric.
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Father Tanko was murdered midweek at Tortser village by armed men who also burnt the car he was traveling in from Takum to Amadu in Taraba state.
The Governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase said the news of the murder of the priest was “shocking, painful and unfortunate.
He commiserated with the government and people of Taraba State, particularly the Catholic Church over the sad incident.
“Governor Ortom joins his Taraba counterpart, Architect Darius Ishaku to call for an end to the blood-letting between the Jukun and Tiv in Taraba State. The Governor says only peace can guarantee meaningful development.
“He also urges security operatives to apprehend the killers of Reverend Father Tanko to face the consequences of their act, and consoles the family of the late Catholic priest and prays that God grants him external rest,” the statement added.
Gov Ishaku reacts
In the same vein, the Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku has commiserated with the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo over the murder of Rev. Father David Tanko by a militia group.
Governor Ishaku said it is an unfortunate twist of fate that Father Tanko died in the circumstances he did – a victim of the crisis in which he was playing an active role as peace maker.
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He urged the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo, The Most Reverend Charles Hammawa and the entire Catholic faithful in the Diocese to take solace in the fact that Father Tanko died in pursuit of peace which is the most critical but elusive need of the state and the country today.
The governor said posterity would remember Father Tanko very kindly whenever the history of the Tiv/Jukun crisis is written.
A statement by his Spokesman, Bala Dan Abu, quoted the governor as asking the Catholic Church and other stakeholders in the state not to be discouraged by the murder of Rev Tanko but rather to continue to support on-going efforts by his administration to end the crisis. He urged security agencies in the state to quickly resolve the riddle of the murder of Father Tanko and to ensure that those found culpable are made to face the full wrath of the law
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