Taraba: Tiv IDPs not bandits – Cultural group warn

From Godwin Agia, Jalingo

A cultural group, Tiv Culture and Social Association (TCSA) Taraba state, have asked the security agencies and local authorities in the southern senatorial district of the state to desist from tagging Tiv people, especially the IDPs in Wukari local government as bandits.
Chief James Baka, president general of the association gave the warning in a press release in Jalingo on Sunday.
Baka on behalf of the association, expressed dismay over the unfortunate continue tagging and branding of the Tiv people in Taraba, especially the Internally Displaced Persons IDPs in the Southern part of the state as bandits by some security agencies and local authorities.
The state Tiv cultural leader warned those found in such utterance to desist for fear of God.
“We wish to inform the general public that the Tiv people in the Southern part of Taraba, especially in Wukari local government area have been displaced from their ancestral homes for over four years now, and are only seeking the state government intervention to return.
“We want to inform the general public that the Nigerian Army and local authorities in Wukari local government have deliberately tagged the Tiv IDPs in the area, and some parts of Donga LGA as bandits. They tagged them in such that any attempt to return to their ancestral homes attract death or arrest in the name of a bandits. How can a displaced person who is helplessly seeking government security and relief materials to return home would be a bandit? Where does he have money to acquire weapons for banditry? We want anyone involve in such attitude to desist.”