The Alago Ikweyi Gbayi Development Union (AIGDU) in Nasarawa State has appealed to the federal government to urgently demarcate the boundary between Nasarawa and Benue states to prevent further conflicts in the region.
This appeal comes in response to recent accusations by the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse, during President Bola Tinubu's condolence visit to Benue State following the Yelwata killings. The monarch had claimed that Nasarawa State was encroaching on Tiv ancestral lands.
In a statement jointly signed by AIGDU President Mohammed Oshafu and Publicity Secretary Hassan Ozegya, the group strongly refuted these claims, describing them as misleading. The union insisted that the Tiv people have no ancestral land in Keana, Obi, and Awe Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State.
Historical Context of the Dispute
While distancing itself from the killings in Yelwata, the AIGDU maintained that the area in question was originally owned by the Alagos (Alagon Omere) before being joined by Gwandara, and later, Tiv people.
"The area is part of Keana local government area of Nasarawa State. Apart from colonial and other modern-day records, recent Google maps also confirmed that Yelwata is in Nasarawa State as originally demarcated," the statement partly reads.
The group further cited historical records to support their claims, noting that "Keana was established in 1232 AD, and its original territory stretched as far as the North Bank of Makurdi." They explained that it was only during colonial rule that its borders were reduced to the present-day boundary between Daudu and Yelwata.
Call for Government Intervention
The AIGDU emphasized that their position does not support crisis and killings in their land, which they said had peacefully welcomed all Nigerians and foreigners to settle and pursue their livelihoods in harmony.
The group urged both state and federal authorities to intervene urgently by clearly delineating the boundary between the two states. They insisted that a clearly marked boundary would help all parties recognize the specific extent of their respective jurisdictions, which would ease tensions and support better governance in the area.
This appeal comes amid growing concerns over inter-communal conflicts in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria, where boundary disputes have often led to violent clashes between farming communities.
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