The Mutual Union of the Tiv in the United States (MUTA) has called for immediate and decisive measures to tackle the escalating humanitarian crisis in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where persistent attacks have displaced thousands of Tiv people across Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba states.
In a communiqué issued on Sunday at the end of MUTA’s 31st Annual Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, and signed by President Prof. Akaa Ayangeakaa and Secretary Beeior Rov-Ikpah, the group expressed grave concern over the “massacre and displacement of thousands” by armed herdsmen.
The organisation urged the Federal Government to provide adequate security, ensure the safe return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and implement a comprehensive resettlement plan that includes economic empowerment and infrastructure development for affected communities.
MUTA also appealed to the Benue State Government to intensify enforcement of the Anti-Open Grazing Law, create community-based surveillance systems involving Tiv youth, and deploy modern security technologies, including drones, for real-time monitoring and rapid response to threats.
The group further demanded an end to the occupation of Tiv lands by armed herders and other groups, warning that such encroachment threatens the survival of Tiv cultural and agricultural heritage. It called on the international community to help address the humanitarian crisis and hold perpetrators accountable.
Pledging to work with Nigerian authorities, international organisations, and human rights bodies, MUTA said it will continue advocating for policies to protect Tiv lives and property while partnering with other cultural groups to amplify the call for peace and justice in the Middle Belt.