Barely eight hours after a security meeting between Taraba and Benue state governments held in Makurdi, Gese village, a Tiv community in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba was attacked and razed by suspected Jukun youths.
This is even as one person was said to be missing between Tar-Orshi and New area on his way to Wukari.
Mr. Nathaniel Gbanwuan, a resident of the community told our correspondent that the attackers invaded the village at about 2am on Sunday and burnt the entire village.
Gbanwuan noted that no life was lost in the attack as the villagers had since fled the community located along Rafinkada -Donga road for fear of attack which subsequently happened.
Caretaker Chairman of Wukari Local Government Council, Hon. Daniel Adi in a telephone interview with our correspondent said a Jukun man travelling on a motorcycle from Rafinkada to Wukari was reportedly missing on Sunday morning.
Adi who confirmed the attack on Gese village, however said the attack was carried out by irate Tiv youths who were prevailed upon by some Tiv elders not to attack Rafinkada.
Our correspondent reports that the Tor-Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse had during the security meeting insisted that for genuine peace to return in Wukari, the indigenous Tiv people in the area must be accommodated and integrated.
“The Jukun and the Tiv people have a common history in the Benue valley and anybody who now wants to expel the Tiv people from Wukari for whatever reason must think twice, because the agenda will not work.
“The crisis in Wukari will only stop when the Tiv people in Wukari are accepted as indigenes of Taraba,” he said
The Tiv paramount ruler who backed the call to end the killings, called for the sincerity of purpose on the part of government and the people in ending the hostilities.
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