Taraba Mulls Land Reforms as Panacea to Incessant Tiv/Jukun Conflict

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

There are strong indications that the Taraba State Government would introduce land reforms in the state in a bid to permanently resolve the perennial conflict between the Tiv and Jukun tribes in Southern Taraba.

The Chairman of the Economic, Youth and Security Summit, Mr. Benjamin Bako, gave the hint yesterday at a press conference in Jalingo, organised to mark the end of the summit.

The summit was initiated by Governor Agbu Kefas to generate ideas towards improving the economic fortunes of the state as well as address youth restiveness and incessant security challenges plaguing the state.

Fielding questions from journalists, Bako identified struggle for resources particularly land as the major cause of the perennial conflict between the Tiv and Jukun tribes in the state which ought not to be considered the vast land the state is blessed with.

According to him, “The incessant conflict between the Tiv and Jukun in Taraba State is usually triggered by the struggle for resources particularly land for cultivation and other agricultural purposes.

“It is however saddening that struggle for land would continue to cause conflict between the two tribes considering the fact that the state is blessed with vast arable land that are largely uncultivated.”

He, however, frowned at the persistent interference of the Benue State government each time there was a breakout of violent conflict between the two tribes, saying Benue State has no business interfering in the internal affairs of Taraba State.

According to him, “The two tribes are indigenes of Taraba State and if there is a conflict between them, it is the responsibility of Taraba State government to address and resolve the conflict without any external interference.”

He maintained that with a serious and focused leader like Governor Kefas, the incessant conflict between the two tribes would soon become a thing of the past.

It would be noted that the governor has a reputation for resolving conflict between groups as he was credited with brokering peace between the federal government and militant leaders in the Niger Delta that led to the success of the Amnesty programme initiated by the administration of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.