Gombe crisis: Communities express strong commitment to end hostilities

The Lunguda and Waja Speaking communities in Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State have expressed their willingness to end the recurring violent attacks against each other.

Making the pledge at the Reconciliation Meeting in Nyuwar, representatives of both tribes, who shook hands and pledged that never again would such violent attacks be heard amongst them, saying they are tired of the damage it has repeatedly caused on their communities, as well as the negative effect on socio-economic life.

The Representatives of the Lunguda and Waja communities, who made the pledge are from four units in Nyuwar, Gilengitu, Bwaza, Pwalali and Tsibo, expressing the belief that the end of hostilities between them had come.

The District Head of Nyuwar, former Secretary to the Gombe State Government, Mr. James Pisaghi, said the peace agreement was unique, because both communities initiated it after a series of meetings.

Mr. Pisaghi emphasised that it was important for both tribes to reunite and co-exist in peace as done before, because that was the life they all knew for over 200 years, as handed down to them by their parents, which span from intermarriages, to men and women having at least one of their parent in both tribes.

Moreover, the traditional ruler said none of the religious beliefs, Christianity and Islam, promoted killing of another human being and as such the killings in Nyuwar could not be justified.

The District Head of Nyuwar, whose mother is from the Waja Tribe, therefore, gave the assurances to the various authorities present, security agencies and governments at local and state levels,that the end of hostilities in Nyuwar had come to an end.

“This one is unique in the sense that before we reached this point, we have had series and series of meetings and we had to touch the sensitivity of all the Waja Speakers and all the Lunguda Speaking and the Fulani Speaking. ‘Do you want this thing to continue? Everybody said No. They are tired, everybody is tired. The Lunguda, the Waja, everybody is tired. So, that’s why we feel that at least this is the cementing point that no problem will come after this meeting,” said Mr. Pisaghi.

He said from now on, any reports of hostilities received would be followed up by fishing out those responsible and giving them the matching punishment.

Various speakers from both tribes, government and security agencies, who took turns to speak to the gathering, made up of men, women and youths, all expressed their grief over what had become of their once peaceful community.

The Waja Speaking people were represented by the Deputy Superintendent of Police Joseph Dagu, who pledged that by the Grace of God, the crisis was over, strongly promising that henceforth, those responsible would be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law.

Mr. Dagu warned the youths to understand the seriousness of such commitment to peace and that they would not be spared, should they violate the promise made.

The retired Police Officer said the recent recurring violence between the two tribes had affected the socio-economic development of the society.

For one, Mr. Dagu said the history of high agricultural activities and production the area was known for, had now become history, because such attacks were done during the rainy season, thereby denying farmers the opportunity to produce large quantities of food like before.

Similarly, the Representative of the Lunguda Tribe, Dr. Charles Zaure Sabe, expressed shock at the turn of events between the two tribes, with most of them having relatives in both tribes, saying the killings are a harm done to oneself.

Dr. Sabe prayed that such hostilities would stop, stressing on forgiveness as the strongest pillar for forging on and the past to be buried forever.

“Forgiveness is very important for one to live a meaningful life on earth, he must be someone who forgives,” said Dr. Sabe.

He also cautioned both tribes to be careful of external influences, such that people who were not bothered or affected by life back home in Nyuwar should not be able to instigate them to take up arms against their fellow people in the community.

Overall, Dr. Sabe said the meeting had marked the end of hostilities in the area.

SECURITY AGENCIES IN NYUWAR

Security agencies in Nyuwar, the police, army, Civil Defence, who have kept the peace in the area, also had words for both communities.

The Police Area Commander, Billiri, ACP Ibrahim Musa, said with this peace agreement, he could now travel home to Kano, where he had visited only once in 14 months since the Nyuwar crisis began.

He stressed that the major drivers of the conflict in Nyuwar were the youths, saying if the youths pledged not to engage in violent attacks, the needed peace would be restored in the area.

For Army Lieutenant B. A. Azi, any peace forced on people is not peace, except the one decided on by the people themselves, thereby urging the people of Nyuwar to own the peace in the area.

He, however, urged parents and leaders of the two communities to expose perpetrators of these violent attacks, so as to bring to an end the recurring hostilities.

The Officer in Charge of Mobile Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police Yusuf Habu, also stressed more on forgiveness as the strongest pillar to true reconciliation, calling on perpetrators to  stop deceiving themselves by allowing recurring violence in Nyuwar.

Similarly, the District Police Officer in Cham, Superintendent of Police Tsabar Podu, said after several meetings and pledges of unity, he is surprised that violence re-erupted.

According to him, the devil is to be blamed for the recurring violence, but asked both communities to put the devil to shame.

He also asked aggrieved people to seek redressing from the relevant authorities, especially in the raining season and not resort to taking the laws into their hands.

Women representatives from both tribes, Mrs. Rabi Mark, Waja and Mrs. Labauga Yuba, Lunguda Women Representative, both cautioned the youths against display of exuberance, urging them to embrace peace.

The Special Adviser to the Gombe State Governor on Drugs and Narcotics,  Mr. Birba Godfrey, expressed his delight at the outcome of the meeting, promising to take back to the government the end of hostilities between the Lunguda and Waja.