The death toll in the bloody communal strife between Jukun and Tiv ethnic groups in Taraba and Benue States has risen to 10.
As at yesterday, the two tribes were still engaged in burning of houses, shooting and killing at the border towns between Wukari and Ukum local government areas.
An eyewitness, Terwase Kyado, said seven bodies were recovered in the bush near Tse Atsenge, which, he said, has been completely raised down.
Women with children on their backs were seen fleeing the troubled areas when newsmen visited the area.
A 56-year-old Tyohumba Dooga told newsmen that he trekked three kilometres without water and food.
He said two of his brothers have been killed in the attacks when Jukun overran his community in Tse Atsenga and set the settlement ablaze.
The Benue State Governor, Mr Samuel Ortom, has sued for peace and understanding between Jukun and Tiv communities.
He condemned the conflict, which has led to death of some lives and destruction of property, rendering many homeless.
He said he and his Taraba State counterpart, Mr Darius Ishaku, have taken far-reaching measures to end the conflict and restore lasting peace to the border communities.
He appealed to the people of the affected communities to support the peace initiatives of governments of the two states to prevent further conflicts.
He urges Jukun and Tiv in particular to emulate the example set by their sons, the Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of the Catholic Diocese of Jos and Most Rev Father James Bature whose peace building efforts have immensely contributed to settling the age-long rivalry between them across Taraba and Benue states.
He said there was no alternative to peace, which was why he promptly directed his adviser on security to visit Taraba State shortly after the unfortunate incident where he held meetings with key stakeholders, including the Aku Uka of Wukari, as well as chairmen of Ukum (Benue) and Wukari (Taraba) local government areas.
He sympathised with victims of the crisis, and assured security agencies have been directed to apprehend perpetrators of the violence for prosecution.
Meanwhile, the mouthpiece of Northern Nigeria, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has lamented increasing spate of kidnapping and killings in the country, particularly in the North.
The ACF, therefore, called for serious deployment of troops to the affected states and highways to repel attacks and bring perpetrators to book.
The northern socio-cultural group also asked the Federal Government to re-examine its security apparatus.
It urged the government to take adequate measures that will increase the number of police personnel, train them and provide equipment and other logistic support to effectively tackle the menace.
According to a statement by the forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, the security agencies need to also employ new strategies and intelligence gathering to effectively smoke-out the kidnappers and bandits from their enclaves and hideouts.
The body said: “Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and indeed Nigerians are worried and disturbed with reports of spate of kidnappings of innocent people on the highways and frequent attacks on villages by some armed bandits which had led to the death of hundreds of innocent lives, particularly in the Northern part of the country.
“The recent frequent kidnappings and attacks on the people, especially along Kaduna/Abuja express highway and many villages in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Kaduna states as well as many parts of the country is cruel, barbaric and inhuman.