By Andrew Ojih, Jalingo
Taraba state governor, Arc. Darius Ishaku last Wednesday said that himself and his principal, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, rtd, have always been at the forefront of all the efforts to end the lingering crisis between the Tiv and the Jukuns in Wukari LGA of the state.
Ishaku in a press statement signed by his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Mr Bala Dan Abu and a copy made available to The EYEWITNESS in Jalingo said  General Danjuma who has always condemned crises and killings in the state openly supported efforts of government to ensure peace in the state.
The statement noted that there is an orchestrated effort to  tarnish the image and reputation of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku and Retired General TY Danjuma for alleging that the duo are fueling the Tiv/Jukun crisis.

“In a recent press statement, a group known as Tiv Youth Council made sweeping and frivolous allegations  against these two eminent personalities to the effect that they are fueling the Tiv/Jukun crisis.
“The statement is completely false and deserves no better treatment other than to be thrown into the dustbin” the statement explained.
The added that it is completely hollow as it contains nothing to support the grave and wicked allegations made against these eminent Jukun personalities.

The statement maintained that the  intention of the group is to clearly seek public sympathy by falsely accusing these patriots of complicity in the crisis for no reason other than that they are Jukun.
According to the statement, it was a blackmail in its raw  manifestation, adding that such  attitude is unhelpful to the crisis.

“In the past two years, Gov Ishaku visited these Tiv/Jukun communities more than four times to preach peace and to encourage the warring factions to sheat the sword.
These he did most of the time jointly with his Benue State counterpart,  Samuel Ortom.
Their Deputies also did same more than five times at their behest during the same period”the statement noted.
The stressed that the present situation in the Taraba and Benue borders calls for honest commitment to the quest for peace.
It does not help to play the Ostrich as the Tiv Youth Council has elected to do by pointing accusing fingers at innocent people.
  All the critical stakeholders  must now join the ongoing efforts  by the Taraba and Benue state governments to restore peace to the affected areas” the statement maintained.