OFFICIALS MEET TO ADDRESS BENUE/TARABA BORDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001740

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NI
SUBJECT: OFFICIALS MEET TO ADDRESS BENUE/TARABA BORDER
VIOLENCE

REF: REF: ABUJA 1593

ABUJA 00001740 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Robert E. Gribbin for reasons 1.4.(b&d
).


1. SUMMARY. An unidentified U.N. official was shot enroute
to a peacekeeping meeting along the Benue / Taraba border on
August 9. The meeting was called by Benue State Governor
Gabriel Suswam in an effort to address the ongoing violence
occurring between the ethnic tribes of Benue and Taraba
States. Security forces on both sides agree there needs to
be an increased police presence and tighter border control.
Additionally, both states are looking to traditional rulers
and community leaders to quell the violence rather than
relying on military force. END SUMMARY.


2. A yet to be identified U.N. official was shot and his
Mobile Police escort killed while en route to a peacekeeping
meeting in Gawa along the Benue / Taraba State border on
August 9. Witnesses reported seeing the official being taken
to a hospital in an ambulance. No word on his condition as
of August 13. Government officials attributed the attack to
opportunistic armed robbers cashing in on the conflict;
however, this downplays the deterioration of the rule of law
in the area. Ethnic violence began in this region over fifty
years ago and continues today. Approximately 200 people on
both sides of the feud have been killed since the violence
re-erupted in June.


3. Governor of Benue State Gabriel Suswam and his
counterpart from Taraba, Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai,
held a peacekeeping meeting in the town of Gawa, in the
Katsina Ala Local Government Area along the border on August

9. Traditional rulers, community leaders, Police
Commissioners and State Security Service members attended to
discuss the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Tiv people of
Benue State and both the Kuteb and Jukun tribes of Taraba
State. In an effort to deter future violence, Governor
Suswam is looking to the traditional rulers and local
community leaders for assistance. Since this conflict has
existed for generations, officials are hoping that these
local rulers will convince the young people who have taken up
the fight that violence is not the answer. To ensure that
the local leaders do get involved and no longer ignore the
feuding, attendees at the peace meeting decided that
traditional and community rulers should be held responsible
for any violence that occurs in their area or amongst their
tribe, with penalties including the possibility of arrest,
trial and jail. Governor Suswam told PolOff that he and
other officials are hoping the local leaders will have enough
influence to stop the violence so as to avoid the need for
another large military deployment to the area. Governor
Suswam also informed PolOff that security forces will be
increased along the border to stop the violence from crossing
state lines. Currently there is nothing prohibiting a group
from chasing their rivals across the border to conduct
attacks on other tribes and their villages.


4. Police Commissioner Ibiyinka Kayode told PolOff that he
is hoping to set up a permanent police outpost along the
border in an effort to maintain peace. Currently officers
are deployed only when conflict bubbles up. As well, Kayode
stated that he has requested additional resources to increase
the police force. As of now, there are less than six
thousand police officers in all of Benue State with a
population of almost 3 million. That is equal to one
policeman for every 500 people. Unfortunately, most of the
force is centered in the major towns and not in the rural
areas where many of the land conflicts occur.


5. COMMENT: Despite ongoing discussions between the
governors and officials on both sides of the conflict, the
violence continues between the Benue and Taraba State ethnic
tribes. Increased border control and a better equipped
police force with greater presence in the area would only
offer temporary peace. Placing blame on supposed armed
robbers and ignoring the fact that this is a long-standing
and deep-seeded ethnic conflict over farmland will only allow
the anger and resentment to build and the violence to
increase. Holding traditional rulers and community leaders

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responsible for the actions of their youth along with
economic development in the area offers the best hope for a
peaceful future between Benue and Taraba States. END
COMMENT.
GRIBBIN