Kater AMAH - Minority Fellow OHCHR ORAL STATEMENT FOR THE UN FORUM ONM MINORITY ISSUES Thank you Madam Chair and I belong to the Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Kater Amah. I am 2018 0HCHR Minorities Fellow; in my region, Tiv Minority in Taraba State, Nigeria, but I speak for all vulnerable people and communities especially the minorities. where people have I want to speak about Domestic Statelessness affecting minorities in my country Nigeria they are denied the consciousness of being Nigerian Nationals but do not know where they belong because belong. This has access to indigenship registration by local governments and states where they originally as well. been a trend that has been on for decades, and perhaps may be happening in other countries find themselves Because of land boundaries in the Federal system of Government of Nigeria, some people knowledge in states where they are minorities; and this is their situation Madam Chair! I have first-hand in description are about Benue, Taraba, Nasaarawa, Plateau, and Adamawa states. The minorities frequently targeted for violent attacks. are displaced from As I speak here Madam Chair, over a 100,00 individuals including women and children conflictbetween their homes in Taraba, Nassarawa, Benue and Plateau states as a result of the perennial thousands and herdsmen and farmers in some Northern states of Nigeria which led to the killing of in different host destruction of their houses and means of livelihoods. Some have remained IDPs educationfor their communities across the states for over 5 years now without access to health; access to have meager children; and other basic rights. Even before displacement, the people and their communities or no amenities at all! return.Some Strangers have taken over their homes. There are no proactive efforts so far to ensure their farmers who earn of them are denied access to their homes by the h'iajority groups. These are peasant their living strictly by farming. I therefore recommend the following: I dignified The government of Nigeria should liaise with states and local governments to ensure the of basic return of the affected minorities; and rebuild their communities including the provision amenities. I I accessible The government of Nigeria should set up a Commission for Minority Affairs and make it to all minorities for the promotion and profection of minority rights. to address The government of Nigeria should revisit the recommendations of Germany in the UPR adequate the cultural, political and economic situation of ethnic minorities by taking steps to ensure the loss of political participation of ethnic minority groups as well as measures to effectively prevent land, property and resources of ethnic minority groups through confiscation