200,000 displaced Nasarawa indigenes set to return home after seven years

After seven years of displacement, over 200,000 Bassa people are set to return to their homes in Nasarawa State on February 10, 2025. This follows a series of peace talks organised by the state government and local security agencies.

Joshua Gomina, the acting chairman of the Bassa Youth for Peace Coalition Forum, shared the news on Monday. He explained that the Bassa people had been forced to leave their homes after a violent clash with the Egbura ethnic group in April 2018.

“We are pleased to announce that the displaced Bassa communities will return home on Monday, February 10, 2025,” Gomina said. “Since the clashes, our people have faced many hardships, and over 200,000 of us have been displaced. We hope many will return to their ancestral homes next week.”

Gomina also thanked the state government, local authorities, and security forces for their role in resolving the conflict.

Governor Abdullahi Sule has authorised the Commanding Officer of the 177 Guard Battalion, Keffi, and the Chairman of Toto Local Government, Ahmad Yahaya, to oversee the safe return of the Bassa people.

Returnees from cities such as Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna, and Lokoja will meet at Kekeshi Village in the Federal Capital Territory, while those coming from Benue, Plateau, and Lafia will gather at Gunki village in Nasarawa Local Government Area.

Gomina urged all displaced Bassa individuals and families to prepare for their return and called on organisations like the National Commission for Refugees, the United Nations Refugee Agency, and other humanitarian bodies to assist the returnees with any support they can offer.