SUMMARY
The non-state conflicts in Nigeria’s Plateau State, most notably in Jos town (as well as neighboring Taraba state and adjacent Adamawa state) are connected to a larger pattern of tensions between ethnic and religious communities. The states are home to over 30 distinct ethnic communities, which have coexisted in relative peace for a long time. Around the turn of the century, however, conflicts started to arise over land ownership and access to political and economic power. At the root of these conflicts is the notion of "indigeneity", which often serves as the basis for citizenship, land ownership and political power. This has led to recurring conflicts between groups perceived as indigenous to the area and groups that have migrated to the region more recently. These tensions have been further exacerbated by religious differences and perceived marginalization.
The other dyads that belong to the same Plateau state cluster of non-state conflicts are; Afisare, Anaguta, Birom - Fulani, Hausa, Hausa – Tarok, Fulani – Mambila, Azara – Tiv, Gamai – Pan, Karimjo – Fulani, Kwala – Tiv and Birom – Fulani, Hausa.
The relationship between Tiv and Junkun is centuries old. Up until the 1930s it was a cordial relationship that enabled peaceful co-existence. This changed in the first decades of the twentieth century due to ecological and political factors. The political aspect of the relationship is best exemplified by the victory of a Tiv candidate in elections to the House of Representatives, representing the Wukari Federal Constituency in 1956. The appointment of a Tiv politician to the Wukari constituency was seen as a potential threat by the Junkun population who feared future repression and political domination. Further, the Tiv grew yam, a root that requires nutritious soil to grow in, hence they needed new farming grounds at a repeated interval, forcing them to seek new arable land. This became increasingly sensitive as the political tension grew. The sentiment amongst the Junkun population was that they had in fact arrived in the area first and consequently owned the rights to the land. The crop rotation that was an essential part of the Tiv lifestyle came in sharp contrast to the Junkun and their stationary farming tradition. The fact that Tiv relocated their farmlands was seen by Junkun people as a disrespect of traditional division of land and an attempt of taking over farmland from them. This migratory way of living proved to be an inconvenience negatively affecting the relationship between Tiv and Junkun.
The violent events that enabled the inclusion of this conflict in UCDP data took place during four months, spanning from mid-October 1991 to February 1992. What ignited the violence is disputed, some note a triple murder of Tiv men allegedly carried out by Junkun men to be the instigation of the conflict, others point to a land dispute that quickly got out of hand. Regardless of what ignited the violence the tensions that had long simmered quickly turned into distrust and fear, and the situation deteriorated into violence. During the four months that passed between October and February ethnic clashes, arson attacks and destruction of land and/or property were common. As a response to the violence the Nigerian army and a reinforced police contingent was deployed in the area. The presence of the army and police force did not succeed in quelling the unrest, the hostilities remained and even though this conflict has not resurfaced in UCDP data the underlying incompatibilities have not been addressed. It is therefore possible that it may blossom again. One contributing factor as to why the army and police did not manage to repress the violence was the clear ethnic divide that was present in this conflict. The police and even the army were accused by Tiv to take sides with the Junkun population in the conflict.
The Junkun - Tiv conflict must also be viewed in the broader spectrum of the ethnic and religious non-state conflicts that have ravaged Nigeria in the past. The conflicts throughout Nigeria have ethnic, political, economic, and religious components, which have become inextricably linked over time, pitting various groups and alliances of groups against each other along different dividing lines.
The violence in this conflict has been local, confined to the Wukari Local Government Area (LGA) within Taraba State in the southeastern parts of Nigeria.
The conflict was not settled officially until late November 2001; only then an actual peace deal was signed by the parties to the conflict. The deal that was signed by representatives from each community included promises to end the clashes and work towards a peaceful co-existence within Taraba state.
The non-state conflict between Junkun and Tiv is first included in UCDP data in 1991. In October of that year, violent clashes flared up in the Wukari region, resulting in over 25 battle-related deaths.
