Nyakwala community, in Wukari local government council of Taraba State, has appealed to Governor, Agbu Kafas, to intervene in the chieftaincy and land disputes currently threatening the peace of the community.
The appeal was contained in a statement made available to journalists on Monday in Jalingo.
The community also asked the Governor to immediately establish a high-powered judicial committee of inquiry to review the appointment of the chief of Matar-Fada.
They asked the governor to direct the chief of Bantaje to refrain from encroaching on the community’s land (Nyakwala).
The statement jointly signed by the leaders of the community, Irimiya Danji Barau and Prince Collins Umar tasked the Governor to appoint a new district head of Matar-Fada from the Nyakwala community pending the review of the third class chief status.
Laying claim to the traditional stool in question, they appealed to the governor to immediately wade in by restoring peace and justice in the community, the council and the state at large.
The community cited the alleged controversial appointment of the acting District head of Matar-Fada, subsequently promoted to the third Class Chief, as the crux of the matter, noting that the appointment made after an 18-year vacancy on the stool was erroneous.
“As a community, we are faced with a number of challenges that tend to threaten the peace and tranquillity of Nyakwala and her environs as a result of the unpopular decisions of the previous government as it affects the chieftaincy stool of Mata-Fada and the boundary demarcation between Nyakwala and Bantaje.”
The community drew the attention of the governor to the alleged fake and false administrative map designed through the alleged conspiracy of the leadership of Bantaje and Matar-Fada, saying the aim was to frustrate the Nyakwala community from reclaiming their traditional stool.
“This map they carry about does not have the approval of the government nor does it have the seal of any government agency, the statement said.
”This false boundary demarcation projected by the chief has posed a serious security threat in our community, our traditional fish ponds have been seized from us and hoodlums entering our farmlands claiming that the entire area which is in Nyakwala in Matar-Fada chiefdom have been carved out to Bantaje chiefdom”.
Taraba community seeks govt’s intervention in land, chieftaincy disputes