Tiv communities in Nasarawa State have accused the state government of supporting violent attacks and illegal land takeovers that have left many displaced and living in fear. The group, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Terkaa Jerry Aondo, claimed in a statement issued in Abuja that their ancestral lands are being forcefully occupied despite a valid court order prohibiting such actions.
They alleged that Governor Abdullahi Sule defied this court order by launching a rice farming project on the disputed land on July 1, 2025. According to them, the governor’s visit to Ayarkeke and Jangwa in Obi and Awe Local Government Areas was a direct violation of legal restrictions and a deliberate move to provoke further violence.
Several Tiv villages across Doma, Obi, Awe, Keana, and Lafia LGAs—including Akaha, Usula, Utsuwa, Udugh, Wachi, and Ayarkeke—have reportedly come under repeated attacks. The communities said the violence has worsened, with many villagers fleeing to IDP camps in Agyaragu Town and Abaagu Village.
They pointed to a restraining order from the court under SUIT NO. NSD/LF/44/2025, which barred the state government from entering Tiv lands. Despite this, the group claimed the state has ignored the ruling and proceeded with activities that continue to endanger lives.
Aondo described the government’s actions as a “flagrant abuse of the rule of law” and warned that branding Tiv people as “settlers” in the state was both false and dangerous. He said this kind of rhetoric fueled past ethnic violence in Nasarawa, particularly the deadly clashes of 2000 and 2001.
The community cited a fresh attack on July 2, 2025, when a Tiv man, Kyobo Ndar, was reportedly killed and dismembered by suspected herdsmen in Keberi-Biu, Doma LGA. They said no arrests had been made, even after the incident was reported to the military.
Calling for urgent intervention, the Tiv leaders urged Governor Sule to halt all activity on the contested land and comply with the court ruling. They appealed to federal authorities to deploy security forces to protect affected areas and restore calm.
The statement also demanded a thorough investigation into the violence, justice for victims, and punishment for anyone spreading ethnic hatred. They called on the Nigerian Bar Association to challenge what they described as a growing disregard for the judiciary.
The Tiv communities appealed to President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, the DSS, the National Human Rights Commission, and international agencies to treat the crisis as both a legal and humanitarian emergency. Aondo warned that ignoring the situation could lead to more violence and deepen ethnic divisions.
Efforts to get a response from the Nasarawa State Government were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
