Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have returned to Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have expressed their commitment to supporting Governor Abdullahi Sule’s peace initiative, which played a key role in their return.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), these IDPs were displaced from over 100 communities in Toto LGA due to a communal conflict between the Bassa and Ebira people in 2018 and 2019.
The returnees made their pledge during a visit by Mrs. Hauwa Samuel-Ugbo, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Humanitarian Service, and Mr. Benjamin Akwash, the Director-General of the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), at a transit camp in Ukya, Toto LGA, on Tuesday.
Mr. Isaq Kaura, the Camp Representative, spoke on behalf of the returnees, thanking Governor Sule for his persistent efforts in ensuring their safe return after seven years of displacement due to conflict. He also expressed gratitude to the Chairman of Toto LGA, Ahmed Yahaya, and his Deputy, Mr. Atnadu Yakubu, for their dedication to the return process.
Kaura noted that prior to the 2018 crisis, many Bassa people were successful entrepreneurs, farmers, and civil servants. However, the conflict has left them with little to rebuild. “We will support the government’s peace efforts, forgive the past, and focus on living peacefully with other ethnic groups,” he added.
Mrs. Abigail Abraham, the Woman Leader in the camp, also offered her prayers for the governor and the local council authorities for facilitating their return. She shared that women in the camp had started small businesses and farming activities, while also looking forward to more government support to resume their normal lives.
Mr. Isaac Aguma, the Chief of the Kagbo Community, representing Bassa traditional leaders, thanked the government for its support. He revealed that since the return to the camp on February 10, 2025, there have been no incidents of violence or harassment. According to Aguma’s records, 31,499 individuals from the Bassa community had returned to Toto so far.
While many have returned to their villages to engage in farming, Aguma emphasized the dire need for shelter, as homes and public structures were destroyed during the conflict. “The camp is the only shelter we have left,” he said, urging the government for more support to rebuild their communities and help them resume farming activities.
He also requested that the government allow them to remain in the camp during the rainy season until their houses are rebuilt.
In response, Mr. Atnadu Yakubu, the Deputy Chairman of Toto LGA, assured the returnees that the government was committed to resolving all outstanding issues in their communities to ensure their safe and permanent return. He appealed to them to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and to report any issues to the authorities for quick resolution.
Mrs. Samuel-Ugbo and Mr. Akwash thanked the returnees for their peaceful conduct since their return, acknowledging their positive behavior both in the camp and in their villages where they have resumed farming. The government representatives assured the returnees that they would relay their appreciation, as well as their challenges and requests, to Governor Sule.
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