From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos
The Catholic Bishops and Priests of Abuja and Jos ecclesiastical provinces, have said that proper understanding of history was the major solution to the Tiv/Jukun crisis in Taraba and Benue states.
The Tiv and Jukun communities in Wukari, part of Taraba State have had violent encounters in recent times, where many lives were lost over control of lands.
The solutions were disclosed on Tuesday during a meeting of the said provinces to proffer solutions to the Tiv/Jukun crisis, held at the Dialogue, Reconciliation and peace ( DREP) Centre, Jos.
In a communiqué signed by Coadjutor Archbishop of Abuja, Ignatius Kaigam, and issued at the end of the meeting, the Bishops suggested that one way to resolve the crisis was for the government and church to employ the service of historians, anthropologists, boundary demarcation experts and neutral international bodies to intervene and bring an end to the claims of counter claims by the individual groups.
The group also said for avoidance of further occurrences of such crisis, the government must create an avenue where youths would be engaged on the need to remain in peace with one another.
“ While we are committed in preaching, practicing and promoting the value of Christian living, we call on the church as well as government to employ the services of historians, anthropologists, security agents, boundary demarcation experts, constitutional experts, neutral International bodies ( ECOWAS, AU, UN), to resolve the problem to allow peace to reign”.
