The Mzêhemen u Tiv UK, a prominent Tiv diaspora organization based in the United Kingdom, has thrown its full support behind Professor Zacharys Anger Gundu, the Vice Chancellor of Mkar University, who is currently facing legal threats from Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, over his recent remarks on the protracted violence in Benue State.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its Executive Director, Professor Kohol Iornem, the group hailed Professor Gundu’s comments as “courageous and honest,” describing his public outcry as a necessary step toward exposing what it termed “genocidal attacks” on the Tiv people by Fulani armed groups allegedly operating from Nasarawa State.
“These attacks are not isolated incidents,” the statement declared. “They are part of a prolonged and systematic campaign of displacement, terror, and occupation targeting the Tiv and other indigenous groups in the Middle Belt.”
Expressing alarm over Governor Sule’s threat of legal action, the group accused the Nasarawa State Government of attempting to silence a respected voice instead of addressing the substance of the allegations.
“We find it deeply troubling that, rather than responding to the humanitarian crisis and persistent violence in the region, Professor Gundu is being threatened with litigation — an act we view as legal intimidation aimed at suppressing the truth and silencing the suffering of our people,” the statement read.
Mzêhemen u Tiv UK reaffirmed its commitment to defending Professor Gundu, whom it described as “one of our most respected intellectuals and a fearless advocate for justice,” adding that the diaspora community would not stand by while efforts are made to stifle voices speaking out against violence and injustice.
The development comes at a time of mounting tension in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where continued attacks on rural communities have drawn criticism for being underreported and inadequately addressed by both state and federal authorities.
Professor Gundu has remained vocal in his condemnation of the attacks, accusing political leaders of complicity and inaction in the face of what he sees as a coordinated campaign of ethnic cleansing in the region.
