•Chairman begins peace move after herders attack 

•4000 displaced persons take refuge in Bali Town 


IN the last one year, Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State witnessed what can be described as relative peace. That was until last weekend’s attack on some communities which has since raised tension and apprehension in the area.

There are currently about 4000 displaced persons, mostly Tiv farmers, taking refuge in different locations of Bali Town after their villages were sacked. It was gathered that last weekend’s attack was an escalation of an attack on some herdsmen in Tor-Donga, in Katsina-Ala LGA of Benue State where they went to graze their cattle. The aftermath of the attack in Benue led to the death of nine herdsmen who moved from Taraba to the area.


The information on reaching the deceased families, who are residents in Bali LGA of Taraba State, sparked outrage and led to a reprisal attack on Tiv communities in Bali LGA. As of the time of filing this report, the situation has been brought under control, but the displaced persons are yet to get succour. They are still taking refuge at the Tiv traditional council hall, NKST Church, and Legislative Quarters in Bali town.

They presently require food and other supplies to ameliorate their suffering before they would finally go back to their villages. Most worrisome for them is their inability to bury those killed in the various attacks for their souls to rest in peace as tradition demands. The Ter Tiv of Bali, Zaki David Gbaa, is saddened that his tribesmen have become victims of a criminal act that happened in Benue.

More worrisome to him is their inability to bury those killed, especially in Borno Kurku for fear of being attacked without any security cover.

He is pleading for support from government to ameliorate the suffering of those displaced and for them to return to their farms as the rainy season beckons. But the council chairman, Musa Mahmud, on Tuesday started the peace moves after working with Tiv and Fulani leaders in the council area to end the attacks. His first port of call was Jatau village, where he met with the families of the herdsmen who were killed in Benue State to condole with them.

He wondered why an impasse in Benue State would lead to a humanitarian crisis on the Taraba side. He also visited the displaced persons currently taking refuge at the Tiv traditional council in Bali town. Speaking to newsmen after the exercise, the Council boss, Musa Mahmud, said the peace and reconciliation process is ongoing to avoid recurrence in the area.


According to him: “What I have done today is a reconciliatory work between the Tiv and Fulani in Bali. “What we witnessed last weekend was an escalation of an impasse in Benue State.

“The areas affected include Borno Kurku, Gazabu and Jatau under Suntai ward. “From the security reports, about 38 people were killed in Bali, while the herdsmen killed in Benue were nine. For now, I think the crisis is over and what we are working on is to ensure that such does not repeat itself in Bali.” He also told the Tiv community that the state government is concerned with the plight of the displaced persons and promised the Ter Tiv that he would ensure that they were able to bury those killed in the attacks