A coalition of Tiv community leaders has leveled serious allegations against the Nasarawa State government, claiming that Governor Abdullahi Sule's administration is systematically displacing Tiv communities from their ancestral lands under the pretense of agricultural development initiatives.
During a press conference held in Abuja on Sunday, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Jerry Aondo alleged that state government machinery, including military personnel and civil defence corps, are being deployed to forcibly evict Tiv residents and destroy their settlements across several local government areas including Awe, Obi, Keana, and Doma.
"What the government describes as agricultural expansion is actually an ethnic cleansing agenda targeting the Tiv population," Aondo stated. He identified numerous affected communities including Udugh, Utsuwa, Usula, China, Chabo, Wachi, Tyungu, Uvirkaa, Ugba, and Ayarkeke, many of which have reportedly been demolished or marked for destruction.
According to Aondo's account, the situation in Udugh village exemplifies the crisis. "Bulldozers arrived with armed soldiers and civil defence personnel shortly after the governor's visit on May 4. They demolished homes, schools, churches, and even graveyards, forcing residents to abandon their ancestral lands," he explained.
The SAN further alleged that women in Osula village were forcibly removed from their farmlands, leaving families without food or means of sustenance. "This is not development; it is ethnic persecution carried out under the guise of agricultural advancement," Aondo emphasized.
Despite submitting petitions to various state authorities including the Secretary to the State Government, the Commissioner of Police, and the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Aondo claimed their concerns have gone unaddressed.
As of press time, officials from the Nasarawa State government have not issued any formal response to these allegations. BenriNews will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.
