Following the persistent killing of Tiv farmers in Obi, Awe and Doma LGAs of Nasarawa State by people believed to be herdsmen, a coalition of Tiv communities in the state has expressed worry over the recent statement made by Governor Abdullahi Sule’s Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, over their plight.
Mr Ahemba, who is also Tiv and the immediate past President of the Tiv Development Association in the state, had accused his kinsmen of exaggerating the security situation in the state despite the attacks in their communities.
At a media briefing in Lafia, the leader of the Tiv groups, Boniface Iffer, warned Ahemba not to bring disrepute to Tiv people in the state or that he would be totally rejected by his kinsmen in Nasarawa State.
He said, “We are deeply worried about the current trend of events, especially involving the unguarded utterances of a supposed one of us and one time President of the Tiv Development Association, Mr Peter Ahemba, who was deposed for controversially handling the affairs of the association.
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“Ordinarily, we would have preferred to maintain a dignified silence, but for the avoidance of doubt, Ahemba should not be seen as a representative of the Tiv people by dragging noble personalities into unnecessary disparagement for a pot of porridge just to earn a livelihood.
“Our concern is in his electing to toe a dangerous lane, including his dragging of the church and its clergy, into dirty politics on an issue that is already in court between the parties. This is in deference to numerous calls for restraint and caution by our leaders and well-meaning individuals, including the State Security Service (SSS).
“It is this same Ahemba who was all over the news accusing Gov Sule’s administration for turning a blind eye while 56 Tiv locals were killed among several others in various LGAs across the state. He used the killing of Tiv people in Obi, Awe, Doma and a host of other communities in Nasarawa State to campaign for the position he is occupying today.
Reacting to the allegation, Ahemba refuted it while also denying knowledge of the existence of the coalition in the state.
He said, “I will not join issues with them. When I spoke, it was about the government, not about communities. So, for anybody to reduce what we are doing as a government to a community level, to say the least, is mischievous. I don’t know them, so I am not bothered about whatever they say about me.”
