The Tiv people in Nasarawa state have sought the intervention of President Bola Tinubu in an alleged case of systemic genocide, land-grabbing and forceful takeover of ancestral land belonging to Tiv natives orchestrated by Nasarawa state government and others.
In an S.O.S letter to President Tinubu dated 28 May, 2025 under the aegis of Tiv Development Association (TIDA), Nasarawa State, and signed by Professor Emmanuel Iornumbe Kucha, Acting President of TIDA and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Agriculture (now Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi), the Tiv indigenes in Nasarawa accused the state governor, Abdullahi Sule, and some non-Tiv traditional rulers of annexing ancestral land of the Tiv in the state.
The letter copied the President of the Senate; Speaker, House of Representatives; Secretary to the Government of the Federation; the National Security Adviser; Minister of Agriculture; Governor of Nasarawa state and Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly.
In the open letter to the President titled: Recurrent, Consistent, Brutal And Systemic Genocide And Ethnic Cleansing Against The Tiv Indigenes Of Nasarawa State With The Aim To Weaken And De-Populate: A Passionate Call For Your Urgent Intervention; TIDA pleaded with the President to intervene as the “Government of Nasarawa State led by His Excellency, Engr. A. A. Sule has not only failed to protect us but is taking active steps to depopulate and completely make Tiv indigenes of Nasarawa State extinct by taking over our lands where we have lived for over four (4) centuries which is our ONLY source of livelihood.
“ Should that be allowed to happen, it will be complete act of genocide as our people who are predominantly farmers and live in the villages would certainly die of starvation and depression (a repeat of the 2000 – 2001 episode where more than 500 Tiv indigenes were killed) as they have no other source of livelihood in Nasarawa State outside farming,” the letter stated.
TIDA wants President Tinubu to, among other demands, halt the forceful acquisition of the said ancestral land; institute a probe into the matter, restore forthwith all the statutory heads of Tiv communities, and that Tiv farmers in Nasarawa state should be “jealously protected and encouraged for massive agricultural activities in order to contribute their quota in feeding the nation as they have always been doing.”
To underscore their case against the government of Nasarawa state, TIDA alleged that sometime in 2024, Governor Sule announced the takeover and compulsory acquisition of 10,000 hectares of farm land “situate and lying predominantly in the communities of Tiv indigenes in Awe, and Obi Local Government Areas, for alleged agricultural purpose.”
“The government had indicated that the agricultural scheme is a Federal Government initiative to encourage the production of rice, Soya Beans and Sorghum.”
The letter listed the affected communities in these Local Government Areas as Akaha, Utsuwa, Usula, Udugh (Angwan Anthony), China, Shankodi, Ikyochiha and Ayarkeke, where the Tiv indigenes are the predominant inhabitants of the areas.
“The boundaries of (a) Akaha Village, (b) Utsuwa Village, (c) Usula Village, (d) Udugh Village, cover a large span of over 6,000 (Six Thousand) hectares of land under Agwatashi District in Obi Local Government Area up to Jangwa village area in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, which our people have been cultivating for many centuries.
“Villages such as (a) Ayarkeke Village, (b) China Village, (c) Ikyochiha Village, (d) Shankodi Village which cover a large parcel of about 4,000 hectares in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State were also earmarked for the alleged project. The Tiv indigenes living in these areas have lakes, fish ponds, churches, ancient shrines, graves, community schools, economic trees, markets and other infrastructure developed by the indigenous communities personally over the years and the Tiv indigenes of these areas who are predominantly agrarian in nature and have nowhere to call their home other than these portions of land are living in state of panic and fear as they are at the verge of permanently losing these sources of livelihood,” TIDA said.
The Tiv indigenes accused Governor Sule of acting in error, claiming that he was deceived by some traditional rulers who are not Tiv indigenes. They queried the wisdom of the Governor who did not find any portion of land in the 13 LGAs of Nasarawa to compulsorily acquire and set up this agricultural project, except the areas belonging to the Tiv indigenes.
The reason, they said, was because Governor Sule has been deceived by traditional rulers, who are not Tiv indigenes, “that the land belongs to them and since the Tiv indigenes do not have anyone, either in the State Executive Council, House of Assembly or on the Nasarawa State Bench, the Government will face no opposition, even if the farmers are displaced without any form of compensation.”
TIDA cited two documents signed by the Osoho of Agwatashi, Dr. Umar Abubakar Apeshi “purportedly handing over our lands to the Nasarawa State Government in bad faith and we have it on good authority that he has collected compensation on same. Our ancestral lands do not belong to him in anyway, or the Governor of Nasarawa State. The physical features and facts on the ground and documentary evidence from British Colonial Government up to date, give evidence to the above stated assertion. For the record, we have been in these areas long before even the amalgamation of Nigeria.”
On the claim of systematic ethnic cleansing and genocide against the TIV people, TIDA provided a Certified True Copy of the Memorandum of the District officer to the Divisional officer, Lafia province dated 6th April, 1933 and 5th July 1933 obtained from the National archives which indicates that the Tiv indigenes of Nasarawa State have been in occupation in the area now known as Awe, Obi, Keana, Doma and Lafia Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State since 1830.
“Yet your Excellency, our ancestral lands are being forcefully taken away at every given opportunity without compensation and in some cases the compensation paid to some other persons, and when we complain, we are told by people who the same history shows only arrived Nasarawa State in the 1980’s, that we are not indigenes despite holding and residing on this land since about 1830.”
