Benue youths demand an apology from the IGP for disparaging Tiv people.

By Adeleye Kunle

Usman Alkali, the Inspector General of Police, and the Tiv Nation are at odds over what the latter claims is a disparaging remark about the Tiv race.

“We therefore demand an immediate withdrawal of the careless comments from IGP Usman and a public apology to the Tiv nation who have been insulted by that infamous outing in Gombe,” said Terrence Kuanum, President Tiv Youths Organisation (TYO), in a press release signed on Saturday and made available to newsmen in Makurdi.

“The Benue Youth Forum, BYF, has read with utter disappointment, a statement in the Nation Newspaper of August 10, 2022 credited to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali, where he openly disparaged the entire Tiv nation over the misbehavior of an individual,” said the statement.

The IGP made those demeaning remarks about the Tiv twice in two sentences, without mentioning the tribes or ethnicity of the other, during a meeting with officers and men of the Nigerian Police in Gombe State.

He was explaining why the Police High Command recently sacked three police officers, one of whom was an Inspector of Police of Tiv origin serving in the Kogi State Command for various misdemeanors detrimental to the force’s image and committed in different locations.

“It’s interesting that IGP Alkali mentioned two police officers who were also fired for unprofessional behavior.”

“For the country’s top cop to say things like “one Tiv man” and “look at how he was dressed like a Tiv warrior” while referring to the fired Police Inspector amounts to hatred and ethnic profiling, which should not come from someone who is expected to be neutral at all times.”

“Many police officers and men from various tribes have been found wanting in the discharge of their duties, but their ethnic groups have never been so disparaged.” A recent example is the allegations leveled against DCP Abba Kyari and his colleagues, who are currently on trial for drug-related offenses. Their tribes haven’t been a problem.

“This is why the Benue Youth Forum will not support any act of criminality by any state officer, as demonstrated by the ignominious action of the dismissed police inspector, which ultimately cost him his job.” We, on behalf of the entire Tiv nation, object to the Inspector General of Police’s blatant insult and open spewing of vile toward the Tiv nation.

“As a result, we completely condemn the IGP’s attempt to disparage and portray the Tiv people in a negative light.”