Governors of Taraba State and Benue State, Agbu Kefas and Hyacinth Alia, have intensified efforts to address rising insecurity along their shared border, convening a high-level peace meeting with traditional rulers in Wukari.
The meeting, held in Wukari Local Government Area, forms part of renewed moves to restore calm in communities devastated by killings, displacement and destruction of property. It comes amid fresh attacks by gunmen suspected to be herders in Takum, Donga, Ussa and Wukari LGAs of southern Taraba, as well as neighbouring communities in Benue.
Addressing traditional rulers and key stakeholders, the governors stressed the need for closer collaboration between both states to end the violence and rebuild trust among affected communities.
“We’re committed to tackling insecurity head-on and ensuring sustainable peace,” Kefas said, describing the joint engagement as a clear demonstration of political will to confront criminal elements operating in the region.
Alia emphasised that lasting peace would require collective responsibility, particularly the active involvement of traditional institutions.
“Lasting peace can only be achieved through collective efforts and mutual understanding between the two states,” he said, noting that traditional rulers remain central to grassroots conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
On arrival in Wukari, Alia paid a courtesy visit to the Aku Uka and Chairman of the Taraba State Council of Chiefs, Ishaku Adda Ali, to brief him on the purpose of the visit and seek royal support for the initiative. His delegation also included the Tor Tiv, who drew attention to the plight of Tiv communities living under the Aku Uka’s domain and affected by the crisis.
The governors also conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the humanitarian situation, visiting Abako, a settlement on the Benue border, and Chanchaji, a community along the Taraba boundary where internally displaced persons (IDPs) are taking refuge in public buildings after fleeing their homes.
Many of the displaced residents were forced to abandon their farms — their primary source of livelihood — due to repeated attacks by bandits.
The governors assured the IDPs of enhanced security measures, provision of relief materials and sustained government intervention to enable their safe return to their ancestral homes.
They reiterated their resolve to strengthen inter-state collaboration, boost intelligence sharing and deploy coordinated security operations to flush out criminal elements from border communities.
Both leaders vowed to end unchecked banditry along the Benue–Taraba corridor, pledging to work closely with security agencies and traditional institutions to stabilise the region and restore normal socio-economic activities.
The joint engagement marks one of the most coordinated political responses in recent times to the lingering border crisis between the two neighbouring states.
