Governor Agbu Kefas Sparks Controversy with Remarks on Tiv Community Violence

Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, has ignited widespread condemnation following statements made on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, during an address to his kinsmen in Wukari. The governor openly declared that he would not intervene in the ongoing killings and displacement affecting Tiv communities, attributing the violence to a lack of cooperation from the affected people and dismissing their appeals for help.

According to reports circulating on social media and local outlets, Kefas responded to persistent complaints about attacks allegedly carried out by armed Fulani groups and others in Tiv settlements by saying he had received numerous text messages urging intervention but remained unmoved. “I have been receiving text messages from some Tiv people that I should intervene in the killings against them by Fulani and others, but I can’t intervene,” he reportedly stated, questioning, “How will I intervene when you are not cooperating?”

In a remark that has drawn particular ire, the governor added, “If they like, they should keep writing and complaining, but I don’t care. I am the governor and I have the final say.” Critics have interpreted these words as a blatant disregard for the safety of a significant portion of the state’s population, exacerbating long-standing ethnic tensions in a region plagued by communal conflicts.

The controversy extends to the governor’s stance on a proposed Military Forward Operating Base in the Tiv-dominated areas of Ikyaior and Jandekyura. Dismissing opposition from Tiv residents who cite ancestral land ownership concerns, Kefas asserted his authority over land decisions, reportedly saying, “I do imagine when the Tiv people keep saying it’s their ‘ancestral homes.’ What is ancestor? As a governor, I am your ancestor, so I will decide what to do on the land.” He maintained that the base would proceed regardless of protests.

Kefas also referenced recent incidents in the Chanchanji community of Takum Local Government Area, where Tiv residents have faced fresh attacks, reiterating his refusal to act due to perceived non-cooperation.

The statements come amid a backdrop of heightened insecurity in southern Taraba, where Tiv communities have suffered repeated assaults, displacements, and losses throughout 2025. As of late December, residents report that fear and uncertainty continue to dominate daily life in affected areas, with no official response yet from Tiv community leaders to the governor’s latest remarks. Analysts warn that such rhetoric from the state’s chief executive risks deepening ethnic mistrust and further destabilizing a region with a history of farmer-herder and inter-communal clashes.