Tiv/Jukun Crisis: Govs Ortom, Ishaku Hold Key To Peace – Abubakar Tsav

Former Lagos State Commissioner of Police Abubakar Tsav has called on Governors Samuel Ortom and Darius Ishaku of Benue and Taraba State to be honest and fair in their speech and actions as a way of bringing lasting solution to the lingering Tiv/Jukun crisis.

Tsav stated this in an exclusive interview with THE WHISTLER against the backdrop of the security meeting between the two states and other stakeholders at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja yesterday.

He also advised the two governors to avoid taking sides in the crisis, adding that they should rather cooperate with each other.

He however said it is the responsibility of the Taraba governor to look at every tribe in the state squarely and fairly.

The former police boss said the Tiv people in Benue should not interfere in the crisis in Taraba but rather show sympathy and support for the Tivs in Taraba, as taking sides will amount to inciting the Tivs in Taraba against their host.

“Whatever interference we in Benue carry out it will appear as though we are inciting them against the Taraba. We should only show sympathy with understanding based on truth and justice,” he said.

While appealing to governor Ishaku to be fair to all Tiv people in his state, Tsav commended him over his revelation of appointing a Tiv woman as a commissioner in his cabinet as well as the appointment of over four hundred Tiv teachers, noting that it is a good development.

Recall that at the meeting yesterday, both Ishaku and Ortom openly disagreed over causes of communal clashes between the Jukun and Tiv people in their respective domains.

Also, Ortom called on the Federal Government to set up a commission of inquiry on the lingering crisis since it was a matter between two states.

The Tiv/Jukun crisis which started since April 1, 2019 in Kente village has lingered on till date.

The Federal University, Wukari in Taraba was also shut down in 31^st July as a result of the crisis.