Fulani, Tiv embrace peace in Nasarawa

From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

Following separate meetings held with leaders of Fulani herdsmen and Tiv farmers, the Nasarawa state government has paved the way for the two warring groups to agree to settle their differences and to live in peace with each other.

Convener of the meetings, Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura, disclosed that his administration’s new approach to conflict resolution, the community based conflict resolution strategy, has seen to it that the herdsmen and Tiv farmers embroiled in a lingering crisis that led to loss of several lives as well as damage to property, agree to settle their differences and to live in peace with each other.

Briefing newsmen before the commencement of the meeting with the herdsmen at the Lafia Government House yesterday, Al-makura stated that from his last meeting with the Tiv farmers, he was able to impress it on the leaders and representatives of the group that the protection lives and property must not be left alone with the security agencies as communities must actively participate in the process of peace building.

“Issues of security and peace are everybody’s business. We should not leave the issue of peace, security of lives and property at the hands of security operatives alone. It is the responsibility of every citizen to partake in the activities that will result in the attainment of peace” Al-makura stated.

The governor explained that it was also part of the peace-building process to interface with ethnic nationalities with a view to discussing matters that affects neighbourliness, stressing that with the meeting with the Tiv farmers, he was able to distil information vital to resolving the conflict and to also bring peace not only in the state but across the country.

Al-makura commended the security agencies for their peace effort, extolling the Inspector General of Police for initiating a conflict resolution strategy that is bringing back peace in the state.