HRH Chief David Sevav, the Tor Sankera of Benue, has urged displaced Tiv residents currently living in Benue to go back to their ancestral communities in Taraba State. The monarch made the appeal during a prayer gathering organized by the Tiv who have been seeking refuge in the Kyado area since 2019.
Chief Sevav highlighted that the long-term settlement of these internally displaced persons (IDPs) on local farmlands has created difficulties for the host communities, sparking fears of a possible food shortage. He called on Governor Agbu Kefas to take immediate steps to ensure their safe return.
Representing the monarch, Zaki John Kyungwa, the Tyoor Mbazun of Ukum Local Government Area, appealed to the Aku-Uka of Wukari, Mannu Ada Ali, and the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse, to assist in facilitating the relocation of the displaced population back to Taraba.
During the prayer session, organizers disclosed the scale of the crisis in southern Taraba, reporting that more than 3,000 Tiv people have been killed since April 2019, around 300,000 have been forced to flee, and over 1,000 villages have been destroyed.
The displaced Tiv and community leaders are now calling on Governor Kefas to support efforts that will allow the refugees in Benue State to safely return to their homes in Taraba.
