Tiv community in the United States has urged urgent action on worsening Middle Belt violence.
The group wants security boost, resettlement plans, and global support to protect displaced Tiv people.
The Mutual Union of the Tiv in the United States (MUTA) has urged immediate and decisive steps to tackle the worsening humanitarian situation in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where ongoing violence has displaced thousands of Tiv people in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba states.
In a communiqué issued on Sunday at the end of its 31st Annual Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, and signed by President Prof. Akaa Ayangeakaa and Secretary Beeior Rov-Ikpah, the group expressed deep concern over attacks by armed herdsmen, which have led to widespread killings and displacement.
MUTA called on the Federal Government to boost security in the affected areas and ensure the safe return of Internally Displaced Persons to their homes. The group also demanded a comprehensive resettlement plan that would include economic empowerment initiatives and infrastructure rebuilding.
It further urged the Benue State Government to intensify enforcement of the Anti-Open Grazing Law and create community-based surveillance systems involving Tiv youth in intelligence gathering and rapid response.
The organization recommended the use of advanced security tools, such as drones, to monitor and protect vulnerable communities, saying these would improve real-time surveillance and response to threats.
MUTA also pressed for an end to the occupation of Tiv lands by armed groups, warning that such encroachments threaten the region’s cultural and agricultural heritage. It appealed to the international community to help address the humanitarian crisis and hold perpetrators of violence accountable.
The group pledged to continue engaging with Nigerian authorities, global organizations, and human rights bodies to push for policies that safeguard Tiv lives and property while partnering with other cultural groups to advocate for peace and justice in the Middle Belt.
