AL-HAU24news

Hauwa’u Mohammed Lafia

The National Leader of the Bassa Community in Nasarawa State, Hon. Samson Daudu, has called on both the state and federal governments to urgently issue an official pronouncement to facilitate the safe and dignified return of displaced Bassa people to their ancestral homes.

Addressing journalists at a press conference in Lafia, Hon. Daudu decried the growing misinformation suggesting that the Bassa people have fully returned following the communal crisis that forced them into exile nearly seven years ago.

“The claim that our people have returned is simply not true. Over 99.9% of the Bassa population are still displaced and scattered across the country as internally displaced persons,” he stated.

He challenged concerned citizens and members of the press to personally visit Bassa villages and verify the reality on the ground, asserting that such claims are misleading and hinder genuine resettlement efforts.

According to Hon. Daudu, although certain measures have been initiated to pave the way for their return, the process has been repeatedly derailed by misinformation and individuals who misrepresent the situation.

He emphasized the readiness of the Bassa people to return home once a formal directive is issued by the government.

“We are here to set the records straight. The Bassa people are yearning to return. We are already in May, approaching June — the peak period for farming activities,” he said. “Our people are predominantly farmers.

A timely government pronouncement will enable them to clear their lands and plant before the season ends.”

Hon. Daudu appealed for urgent government intervention, highlighting the need for security assurances and logistical support to help the displaced population rebuild their lives.

He reaffirmed the Bassa community’s unwavering commitment to peaceful coexistence and called on stakeholders, civil society, and the media to join in advocating for a swift, just, and coordinated return process.