Curfew imposed on Taraba town over Tiv/Jukun conflict

The chairman, Caretaker committee of Gassol local government area of Taraba state, Alhaji Yahuza Ya’u, has disclosed that curfew was imposed on Dananacha (Kwararafa) town following disagreement between the Tiv and Jukun that nearly turn bloody. He said the disagreement was over the erection of a signboard bearing Kwararafa in a secondary school in the town following renaming of the area from Dananacha to Kwararafa.

Alhaji Yahuza Ya’u said no life was lost but many buildings were razed down and a curfew was imposed to forestall escalation of the problem.

Daily Trust finding revealed that the disagreement has been on since the town was renamed Kwararafa, a Jukun name from Dananacha which is a Tiv name derived from a Tiv variety of yam. It was further revealed that both Tiv and Jukun are claiming ownership of the town and each time a signboard bearing Kwararafa was erected in the town, the Tiv would remove the signboard in protest.

Daily Trust gathered that attempt to erect a signboard at a secondary School in the town bearing the name Kwararafa on Saturday was resisted by the Tiv. The Jukun were said to unhappy with Tiv for refusing to allow erection of the sign board which resulted in exchange of gun shots by both sides. A witness, Mr. James Terkula, told our reporter that both Tiv and Jukun had brought out guns and shot sporadically but nobody was killed.

He said however about 30 houses were razed down completely. James further stated that many of the residents have fled while a detachment of mobile police and army were drafted into the town, just as curfew was imposed. When contacted, the spokesman of Taraba Police command, DSP David Misal, did not answer several calls made by our reporter to his mobile lines as at the time of filing this report.

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