SAN to Nasarawa govt: Your silence on mass killing of Tiv indigenes dangerous

By Henry Ojelu

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Terkaa Aondo, has demanded urgent action from the Nasarawa State Government over the killing of Tiv indigenes, warning that continued silence and inaction could worsen insecurity and trigger further attacks across several local government areas of the state.

Aondo spoke against the backdrop of the killing of four Tiv natives on January 26, 2026, in Keana Local Government Area.

The victims—Clement Akaa, Yina Fidelis, Thaddeus Tsehemba and Philomina Umbuga—were reportedly attacked while fishing in River Keleke near the Umerai settlement in Kwarra district of Keana LGA.

Describing the incident as part of a recurring pattern of violence against Tiv communities, the senior lawyer said the killings were neither isolated nor accidental, but reflective of a broader security failure that has left Tiv settlements exposed in Nasarawa State.

He warned that unless decisive measures are taken, more attacks are imminent in Awe, Doma, Keana, Obi, Lafia and other Tiv-populated areas of the state.

According to him, there is palpable fear among Tiv residents, many of whom have continued to face threats to life, farmlands and livelihoods without adequate government protection.

Aondo accused armed Fulani herdsmen of carrying out sustained attacks on Tiv indigenes, alleging that ancestral farmlands and villages are being forcefully taken over in the affected local government areas.

He lamented that despite repeated reports and public outcries, there has been no meaningful intervention by the state government to halt the violence or reclaim occupied communities.

“The Tiv people of Nasarawa are being killed and displaced in their own ancestral lands, while the government looks the other way.This has gone on for too long, and the silence is dangerous,” he said.

The senior advocate further alleged that the apparent indifference of the state government to the plight of Tiv communities was deliberate, noting that the governor had failed to demonstrate political will in addressing insecurity in Tiv areas of the state.

He said the governor, as the chief security officer and number one citizen of Nasarawa State, has a constitutional duty to protect all residents without discrimination, stressing that the Tiv indigenes had overwhelmingly participated in the democratic process that brought the present administration to power.

According to Aondo, the failure to secure lives and property amounts to a breach of that responsibility and raises serious questions about equality, justice and governance in the state.

He called on the Nasarawa State Government to immediately deploy security forces to flashpoints, investigate the killings, arrest and prosecute those responsible, and ensure the safe return of displaced Tiv families to their communities.

Aondo also urged the Federal Government and security agencies to intervene where the state has failed, warning that continued neglect could escalate tensions and undermine peace in the region.

He insisted that justice for the slain Tiv indigenes and protection for vulnerable communities remain the only path to restoring confidence and stability in Nasarawa State.

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