The Ayatutu Cultural and Social Development Initiative (AYACASODI) has accused the Taraba State Government of allegedly using the proposed establishment of a Military Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Wukari Local Government Area as a cover for renewed ethnic cleansing of Tiv communities.
In a statement issued on Friday, the group condemned what it described as a calculated move to displace Tiv people from their ancestral lands. The group’s national president, Chief Timothy Baaki, said the government’s decision to allocate 150 hectares each in the Tiv-dominated communities of Ikyaior and Jandekyula for the military base suggests an attempt to take over the land under the guise of national security.
Baaki emphasized that while the Tiv people support initiatives that enhance security, the large-scale land allocation in their ancestral communities appears excessive and suspicious.
He stated that the latest development, following similar attempts in 2024 and early 2025, represents an escalation in efforts to uproot Tiv communities. AYACASODI also alleged that during previous conflicts, the military often aligned with rival ethnic groups and prevented displaced Tiv people from returning home to communities in Wukari and Ibi LGAs.
With Ikyaior and Jandekyula among the few remaining Tiv settlements in Wukari, the group warned that this move may be intended to finalize a long-running ethnic cleansing campaign.
AYACASODI further alleged that since the outbreak of violence in April 2019, over 320 Tiv villages in Taraba have been destroyed, more than 280 remain deserted, and over 280,000 Tiv people remain displaced.
Rather than addressing the crisis and helping displaced persons return home, the group accused the state government of intensifying land seizures.
They called on the Defence Headquarters and military authorities to halt the proposed land acquisition and ensure the military is not used to serve ethnic or political interests.
The group also urged the federal government and other relevant bodies to step in and caution Governor Agbu Kefas against using government powers to suppress an ethnic group.
They demanded that Tiv leaders be included in any land-related discussions tied to security operations and appealed for urgent humanitarian assistance for displaced Tiv communities.
According to the group, the identity, survival, and dignity of the Tiv people are at risk and must be protected.
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