Women from Tiv communities in Takum and Donga Local Government Councils of Taraba State have raised the alarm over escalating attacks that have left many widowed, homeless, and unable to access their farmlands.
The women, drawn from affected communities including Adu, Gbundu, Demevaa, Tor-Damisa, and New Gboko, made a passionate appeal over the weekend to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Taraba State governor, Agbu Kefas, to urgently deploy security personnel to restore peace and enable them to return to their homes.
Speaking on behalf of the group, their leader, Mrs. Msughshima Tersugh, described the situation as dire, noting that persistent attacks since October last year have displaced families and destroyed their primary means of livelihood.
“We have lost our husbands, our homes and our farms. Our children are hungry and we don’t know how long we can survive like this,” she said.
Tersugh attributed the violence to suspected armed groups, alleging that homes were razed and farmlands devastated during the attacks. She warned that the ongoing insecurity has made it impossible for displaced residents to return to their communities, particularly as the rainy season begins.
According to her, the inability to cultivate crops this season poses a serious threat to food security and survival for many families already struggling to cope with displacement.
“We are pleading with the governor and the President to help us with security so we can go back to our farms. Farming is our only means of survival,” she added.
The women cautioned that failure to take swift action could worsen hunger and trigger a humanitarian crisis in the affected areas.
They called on the Taraba State Government to urgently deploy adequate security personnel to safeguard lives and property, facilitate their return, and prevent further hardship.
Tersugh stressed that missing the current farming season could have long-term consequences, warning that food shortages may deepen if urgent intervention is not provided.
