By Correspondent, Toto
Disturbed by incceasant attacks and killings of their natives by warring Bassa and Egbura militias of Toto LGA of Nasarawa state, the Gbagyi Cultural Renaissance Foundation, GCRF, has warned that it would no longer take anymore attacks on her people from any quarters.
This was contained in a press statement issued immediately after its National Delegates Peace Conference held at Toto this weekend.
Though, they had all advocated for peaceful coexistence, the renaissance called on Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State to step up action to tame the ugly situation before it escalate.
They made it abundantly clear that it wasn’t going to tolerate any further assault on their local farmers by either the Bassa or Egbura ethnic militia groups who are allegedly killing them over farmlands.
Delegates who attended the conference further said they converged in Toto in their large numbers to mull the peaceful process of sustaining unity, development and cooperation of the Gbagy nation who they said have no enemy anywhere.
Mr Emmanuel Musa, the General Secretary of GCRF, further warned of severe consequences should it’s ethnic nationalities suffered further attacks on their communities.
This warning was contained in a resolution passed at Toto after the stakeholders meeting.
He informed that it’s members cut across four states: Nasarawa, Kogi, Kaduna, Niger and the FCT.
Security agencies who witnessed the event commended the group for sustaining the peace process even at the prompting of others
A spokesperson of the intelligent community, Mr Collins Paul also commended the Ushe Yelwa and other stakeholders maintaining peace amongst the Gbagyis of Umaisha, Gadabuke and surrounding communities in Toto local government area of Nasarawa State.
Part of the press statement reads:
“This is because Gbagyi people are generally known to be hospitable, peace-loving and for upholding the dignity and sanctify of human life. We have over the years condemned extrajudicial killings and have never at any material time condoned same in Toto LGA or any other place in Nigeria but, despite our peaceful disposition, we have not been spared, the agony of burying our beloved ones courtesy of our aggressive neighbours whose only familiar language is violence.It is in view of this, that the Gbagyi Cultural Renaissance Foundation (GCRF), a socio-cultural group of the Gbagyi people whose sole commitment is to ensure peaceful and harmonious co-existence amongst all the ethnic nationalities in Toto LGA and beyond, have keenly and carefully appraised the protracted ethno-political crisis between Egbura and Bassa and the following were revealed; Gbagyi people have unjustifiably recorded more casualties than even the conflicting parties since 1997 till date rising to one hundred and fifteen (115) lives not to talk of properties worth hundreds of millions destroyed. Gbagyi have lost several ancestral communities to extinction. These includes Panda, Oba, Gabi, Gbebye, Wnubho, Kpedobuyi, Pmaliyi, Gbagba, Kpakutu and Uttu. Others have been reduced to insignificance, they include Sogene, Kanyehu, Hogumba-Ugya, Ayewawa, Degye, Chakarku, Kokoto, Awozhi, Kolo, Kuwa, Kovo, Turunku, Zokutu, Yewuye, the list goes on due to the mass exodus of our people in 1997/98 and 2003. There are questions in some quarters to whether or not the remnants of Gbagyi people in some villages are indigenous tribe in Toto LGA, hence, a pseudo-enslavement policy aimed at our people is being deviced enacted in some communities where (Gbagyi) are denied rightful ownership of their ancestral farmlands. The psychology and world view of our people in Toto LGA have been traumatized due to incessant attacks and mischievous intimidation. Thereby negatively impacting our social, political and economic proficiency. Despite this visible threat to our existence in Toto LGA, Gbagyi people have tenaciously safeguarded their cherished virtue of peace – loving ethnic group by not resorting to reprisal since inception even in the face of worst provocations. This underscores our commitment to peaceful co-existence with our neighbours. On the contrary, Bassa and Egbura have perpetually abused this hospitality taking our sacrifices for granted. The over tolerance of the Gbagyi people have been miscontrued for either cowardice or complacency. On this premise, our meekness have been over stabbed and our patience stretched beyond the rubicon. God forbids the consequences if nothing is done urgently to tame the already brewing tide of vengeance. It is against this background that the Gbagyi Cultural Renaissance Foundation (GCRF) wishes to state that:We condemn in the most-strongest terms a subtle attempt to draft Gbagyi people into the age long Bassa/Egbura crisis.
We have never and shall never be party to it. Hence, such insinuations are cheap blackmails aimed at destroying the reputation of our people and also as a tool by the hooligans to perpetuate their criminality. Such attempts shall not longer be taken lightly. Gbagyi people have being and will continue to be the pace-setters as far as peace process is concern in Toto LGA and beyond but shall no longer condone the mischievous killing of her kinsmen by the blood sucking vampires who call themselves militias. Gbagyis are, and shall remain indigenes of Toto LGA on no account should anybody from anywhere either intentional or otherwise label let alone treat them as strangers, hence, they have equal rights to settle anywhere in the area without fear of intimidation so long as they continue with their normal legal business. We have paid enough price for the peace of Toto LGA, those already killed have been considered an act of God. But on no account should any of our community be invaded or any of our men targeted and killed. This is totally unacceptable and shall not be tolerated henceforth. Nobody does the same they and expect a different result, it is common knowledge that Egbura and Bassa have killed and maimed for decades to either settle their differences or achieve their respective goals, yet with little or no result at all, because “violence begets violence” they said. We therefore call on them to drop their arms, embrace dialogue, the only veritable tool for conflict resolution and peaceful co-existence. Governor Engr. Abdullahi Sule words will fail us to express our gratitude for your commitment to peace and security of the citizens of Nasarawa State and Toto LGA in particular. To us as Gbagyi people, you are rather a father than a Governor, you have kept faith with us during our times of travail and ensured our local population did not vacate their ancestral communities. We are not unaware of the efforts of some conflict marchants who are bent on frustrating your peace initiatives in Toto LGA thereby giving their errand boys a filled day to sustain their killing expedition.
“The recent attack in Kuwa by Bassa militias which claimed three lives of our young men and injuring one has confirmed it. This is because more than half of Umaisha/Ugya Constituency of Toto LGA have been displaced. As the agricultural hub of the LGA farming activities halted indefinitely. It then implies that the source of livelihood of thousands of people have been cut-off thereby aggreviating the already devastated economic situation in the country. It is on this note therefore, that GCRF wishes to call on the government of Nasarawa State under His Excellency Engr. Abdullahi Alhaji Sule to ignore all these distraction by enemies of peace and development, rejig the political will and commitment of the present administration toward the peace of our local government and immediately set up a balanced reconciliation committee that encompasses all the major ethnic nationalities in the area The committee must be made up of people with tested integrity, high moral standing and a balanced mind set. The Committee so set up should be given a specified terms of reference to expedite the process.
“We also appeal to the government to as a matter of exigency, beef up security in this area to as a short time measure, tame the activities of these hooligans.”
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