Intellectualist Condemns Profiling of Tiv People In Taraba, Nasarawa States

From Attah Ede, Makurdi

A Tiv nationality and public intellectual in Benue State, Moses Ben Ugoh has totally rejected the alleged profiling of Tiv people in Taraba and Nasarawa states by one Isah Ahmed of Berekete Family Human Right Radio Abuja.

Ugoh who made this known in a press conference in Makurdi, condemned the action of Isah who allegedly profiled the whole Tiv nationality with wrong thought.

He therefore joined his counterpart in Taraba and Nasarawa States to demand for justice.

Isah Ahamed is said, to have allegedly profiled the Tiv people during a radio programme, while purportedly mediating over a xenophobic attack on the Aku family of Akaahar AdI community in Gboko town of Benue State.

Ugoh frowned at the circumstances that brought his kinsmen to negative limelight on account of delayed prosecutorial action by relevant law enforcement agencies.

He therefore, questioned the defamatory reaction of Ahmed on the entire Tiv race, saying that Tiv as a people has a history of peaceful co existence and accommodation in pure cosmopolitan settlements, hosting people from diverse backgrounds.

“This dastardly act gained public condemnation from several quarters as a gross violation of fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.

“This explains my prompt reaction to Isah Ahmed’s slanderous vilification of the TIv race with a definite demand for retraction and public apology.This was after a fruitless due diligence to ascertain the link between his arbitration role and invective innuendos and bellicose vituperations against innocent Tiv people worldwide.”

He said consequently Ahmed personally tendered an apology on the same medium and programme on Monday, May 20, 2024, shortly before the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum he (Ugoh) earlier handed him to forestall any anticipated legal action.

Ugoh further explained that though he had publicly accepted the apology, the disastrous episode according to him had however provoked spontaneous responses to the intriguing TIv predicament in contemporary Nigeria, especially within the boundaries of their ancestral habitation.

He added, “Furthermore, the apology he tendered was not personal to me but suffice to say that his virile posturing and offensive labelling of the TIv heritage was a monumental disaster to the psyche of all TIv people,thus causing irreparable reputational, spiritual and psychological damages to the entire Tiv race.

“Therefore, beyond the acceptance of a dramatised cosmetic apology from an ordinary president at the instance of an insignificant man, let me sound our collective resolve as a people to further pursue justice on the contentious issues that were contained in the infamous anti Tiv broadcast that erroneously questioned the indigenous status of the TIv people in both Taraba and Nassarawa states.

“There is currently a critical evaluation that is on going by major TIv. Stakeholders for a more consolidated response and necessary action at the appropriate time.” He said.