The Chairman Caretaker Committee of Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State, Alhaji Yahuza Ya’u, said curfew has been imposed in Dananacha (Kwararafa ) town, following a disagreement between the Tiv and Jukun, that nearly turned bloody. He said the disagreement was over erection of a sign board bearing Kwararafa at a secondary school in the town.

Alhaji Yahuza said no life was lost but that many buildings were razed down and that the curfew was imposed to forestall escalation of the problem. Daily Trust gathered that the disagreement has been on since the town was renamed Kwararafa, a Jukun name, from Dananacha, which is a Tiv name.

It was further gathered that both the Tiv and Jukun are claiming ownership of the town and each time a sign board bearing Kwararafa is erected in the town, the Tiv would remove the sign board in protest. A source, Mr. James Terkula, told our correspondent that both Tiv and Jukun, brought out guns and shot sporadically but that nobody was killed. He however said about 30 houses were razed down.

James further stated that many residents of the area fled while a detachment of mobile police and army were drafted to the town. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP David Misal, did not pick calls put through to him to confirm the development. Meanwhile, Governor Darius Ishaku has appealed to residents of the area to sheath their swords and embrace peace.

Darius, in a statement through his Senior Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Bala DanAbu, said he was not happy with the violence by people who have lived together for decades as good neighbours. The statement further said violence is not the right solution for disagreement among people and communities. He said he had directed security agents to restore peace in the town.

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