The Governors of Adamawa and Gombe States have held a Peace meeting with stakeholders in Numan, Adamawa State in their efforts to end the lingering hostilities between the Lunguda and the Waja tribes, who are indigenes of both states.
The meeting made up of officials of both states, elders and rulers from both tribes and other stakeholders, resolved to disband all militia and hunter groups and proscribed their activities in both communities of the two States.
It resolved to close all internally displaced persons, IDP camps within the next one week, while urging the IDPs to return to their homes.
The peace meeting equally urged leaders and elders in both States to prevail on their youths and restrain them from causing any distraction or participating in violence.
Other resolutions were that religious leaders should mount and sustain the campaign for peace in both communities, which should be taken up by youth groups from both communities in the two States, while maintaining that the two communities could not be separated having lived and inter-married for centuries.
It also resolved to raise a committee for the rebirth and sustenance of peace among the Lunguda and Waja in both States.
The committees would be made us of the Governors of Adamawa and Gombe States as Co-Chairmen, the Attorneys General/Commissioners of Justice, as well as the Paramount Rulers, His Royal Highness, Kwandi Nunguraya, Kuruhaye Dishon Dansanda, His Royal Highness, the Balaa Waja; Alhaji Mohammed Danjuma Mohammed from the two communities, who will ensure that the lingering land issues among the two communities are solved and people can go back to farm safely this rainy season.
Also, the Chairmen of Balanga and Guyuk Local Government Areas, Permanent Secretaries on Security matters, would serve as Co-Secretaries.
Other members of the committee are commissioner, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Gombe State, the Permanent Secretary, Chieftaincy Affairs, Adamawa State, Commissioner, Internal Security, Gombe State and the Permanent Secretaries, Special Services
Commissioners of Information, His Royal Highness, the Hama Bashama, Humon Daniel Ismaila Shaga, the former Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Mr. John Lazarus Yoriyo, former Chief Judge of Gombe State, Justice Hakila Y. Heman, among others.
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State said he initiated the meeting because of the importace attached to the survival of both states, especially with the recet ugly developmet betwee the two Lunguda and Waja tribes in Nyuwar and Jessu in Balanga Local Goverment Area of Gombe State.
He said he was invited by his Adamawa counterpart, Alhaji Umaru Ahmadu Fintit, to commission a road project, the Izala-Gweda Mallam-Rafa-Wayam Road, in Numan, Adamawa State, but felt the need for stakeholders meeting to thrash out the lingering crisis between the two groups who had lived together since time immemorial.
The Gombe State Governor said it was obvious that the gathering of high ranking stakeholders from the tribes and the state, underscored the importance of restoring peace in the communities of the two neighbouring tribes in both states.
He said because of the harsh turn of events between the two, it became important that the two states find a lasting solution to the problem and provide the needed security, which was the sole responsibility of the government.
He said that way, the dividends of democracy would be felt by the people.
Governor Yahaya urged both sides to be open in expressing their feelings during the meeting, so that the desired reconciliation would take place for the retoration of peace in those areas.
“Let us make sure that as we finish the meeting, the framework on which a continuous and sustainable peace is obtained for our two states, so that our people will go back to their farms. As at today, close to three, four thousand people have been displaced from Nyuwar and Jessu. For them to go ack to their farms, they need a guarantee, they need to have assurance that nobody will touch anything theirs and they will have the noral peace that they use to haveand I believe we can get that from you. That is why we are mentioning that With this calibre of people, I can assure you, Your Excellency, that Gombe has already resolved to find a lasting solution to this issue,” Governor Yahaya said.
He said when all said were achieved, they would be a shining example to the rest of the country in the maintenance of peace and security, while urgig the people in both states to work collaboratively in ensuring the restoration and maintenance of peace and security that were needed for them to progress.
For the Governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, the calibre of people who had gathered for the meeting, would no doubt bring about the needed lasting peace among the Lunguda and Waja people.
The Adamawa State Governor said everyone gathered had the responsibility of stopping the ugly reoccurences between the two tribes, because there was no benefit in conflict, especially not a blood-stained hands.
“So, I think, we should not leave this room without finding the lasting solution to stop the blood that has been flowing on the lad of the Lunguda and the Wajas, who for time immemorial, down history land, have lived together, have married together, have done so many things in common,” Governor Fintiri said.
He lamented that the Adamawa State Government was just about implementing the findings of the panel set by his administration last year to unrevel the causes of the conflict between the two tribes, when the recent attacks in April erupted, describing it as unnecessary and avoidable.
Governor Fintiri said he and Governor Yahaya of Gombe State were seriously committed to ensuring the Lunguda-Waja crisis would be stopped and peace restored during their tenure.
The Paramount Ruler of the Lunguda people, Kwandi Nunguraya Kuruhaye Dishon Dansanda II, said for lasting peace to be attained, both sides needed to acknowledge their faults and then seek for genuine forgiveness.
He is saddened by the present realities that the longstanding relations between the Lunguda and the Waja people was being torn apart, but appreciated both governors for their efforts to ensure lasting peace between the two tribes.
“By virtue of this meeting, I will like to appreciate your excellencies for your uncommon leadership qualities, for your support, and being the fathers that you are. That we shall be able at the end of the day to find peace. In fact, not just peace, but sustainable peace,” said the Lunguda Paramount Ruler.
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