The Gbagyi ethnic group in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State claimed it has suffered significant losses due to the prolonged Bassa and Egbura ethno-political crises in the region.
According to the Gbagyi Cultural Renaissance Foundation (GCRF), 115 Gbagyi members have died, and properties worth hundreds of millions have been destroyed since the conflict began in 1997.
In a statement issued after an emergency meeting held on Saturday in Toto and signed by GCRF Secretary Musa Dnasuwa, the group expressed deep concern over the continuous attacks and intimidation faced by the Gbagyi people.
GCRF pointed out that the crisis has caused the extinction of several ancestral Gbagyi homes and the loss of farmlands, leading to a socio-economic downturn for the community.
The group lamented that the Gbagyi people, who have maintained a stance of non-retaliation despite provocations, are now perceived as weak, resulting in further victimisation.
“There are questions in some quarters whether the remnants of Gbagyi people in some villages are indigenous to Toto LGA; hence, a pseudo-enslavement policy aimed at our people is being enacted,” the statement reads in part.
The group also condemned attempts to involve the Gbagyi people in the Bassa-Egbura conflict and called for an immediate end to the violence.
The group urged the state government to establish a reconciliation committee to address the issues and restore peace.
GCRF then praised Governor Abdullahi Sule for his efforts in maintaining peace and security in Nasarawa State and called for increased security measures to protect the Gbagyi community and allow displaced persons to return home.