Governors urge warring parties to surrender weapons

The governors of two feuding states in central Nigeria have urged all people in possession of arms to surrender them to law enforcement agents, ‘The Guardian’ reported on Monday.

Failure to do so, governors George Akume of Benue State and Abdullahi Adamu of Nasarawa State said in a joint statement, would result in the immediate arrest and prosecution of offenders, the Nigerian daily reported. The communique, issued after a weekend meeting between the two men, also called for the immediate disengagement of any mercenaries involved in the fighting and an end to all hostilities. It directed all community leaders and law enforcement agents to increase security to allow the safe return of all those displaced by the conflict.

It is estimated that more than 200 people have been killed and more than 35,000 displaced since communal clashes broke out in Nasarawa State between Tivs and their Hausa-speaking Azara neighbours. The fighting followed the killing by unknown gunmen of a prominent Hausa traditional ruler and members of his entourage. The attack, attributed to Tivs, sparked revenge killings and forced many to escape to neighbouring Benue State where Tivs are in the majority.