CSO: How to end Tiv, Fulani crisis

A civil society activist, Dr Hussain Abdul said genuine reconciliation is needed to end the rift between Tiv people and Fulanis in Benue State.

He said the two ethnic groups used to live harmoniously saying “Tiv people used to be Fulani’s best friends among ethnic groups in the north central geopolitical zone and the two groups could return to being friends if the authorities make the right moves to achieve reconciliation between them.”

He said this yesterday in Abuja at the CLEEN Foundation and AfroBarometer data presentation on “Corruption, Violent Conflict and Armed Extremism in Nigeria: What do the people say?”

Abdul said the confidence which once existed between Tiv and Fulani that encouraged intermarriages between them was disrupted, bringing the groups to the prevailing state of distrust fuelling the violent conflicts that have become common especially in Benue State.

He said there were lots to be learnt from history, if the violent conflicts between the pastoralist Fulani and Tiv and other groups across the country were to find lasting solution. Abdul urged government at all levels to deemphasize use of security forces and determine instead the underlying causes of the conflicts and address them sincerely.

The Executive Director of Cleen Foundation, Dr Benson Olugbuo, who explained the concept of the survey said authorities were getting it wrong in their efforts against corruption, violent conflicts and armed extremism in the country because they were adopting a top-down approach by imposing perceived solutions on the people instead of duly involving the people in the process.