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President Muhammadu Buhari during a stakeholders' meeting with representatives of ethnic groups and the Taraba State Government at the Taraba Government House in Jalingo on Monday, said more lives has been lost to the Taraba crisis than that of the killings in Benue and Zamfara states.

Buhari said he was in the state to condole with the people and government of Taraba State over the killings in the state, and called on the people to tolerate one another.

"Governor Darius Ishaku and I are here temporarily. We will go at the end of our tenure, but you are permanent with the people at the grass roots, so I charge you to go back and find ways of resolving the crises in your domains. Go and give your people justice for peace to reign.... As a President, I have sources of getting intelligence on happening across the country and so I should not be expected to always go out to the field to make noise and insult the sensibility of Nigerians before it would be known that I am taking actions against the killings"

"There were more killings in Mambilla than Benue and Zamfara states. I chose to visit Taraba first, but I will be going to Benue and Zamfara after I return from Ghana to also condole with the people," he said.

The President also called on the nation's security agencies to arrest and prosecution of any herdsman caught with arms.

While thanking the president for his visit, Taraba state governor, Darius Ishaku said the state has implemented an open grazing prohibition and ranches establishment law as part of the solutions to ending herdsmen and farmers clashes, as well as cattle rustling.

The president remarks on the killings has elicited reaction from some social cultural groups in the state who found fault in the presidents claim that more people were killed in the Mambilla plateau crisis than those of Benue and Zamfara states.

A representative of the Yangdang Cultural Association, Dr Afraid Kobiba, said he had in presentation to the President, highlighted that the crisis that happened in January 2018 saw 68 people were killed, while 15 were still missing in addition to other killings that had taken place in the state in the past.

Kobiba said, "I don't know where he got his facts from, but I think he was misinformed about the crisis in Taraba State."

President General of Tiv Cultural and Social Association, Chief Goodman Dahida, in his reaction, said the President's claim was unfortunate adding that dozens were killed in Adamawa and hundreds in Benue that did not attract the attention of the Presidency.

Dahida said, "The President just told Nigerians where he belongs and the people he belongs to. He is specific about Mambilla killings because his kinsmen were involved.

"In June last year, he sent his cronies to visit Mambilla because the Fulani were reportedly affected in the crisis. I think the President should grow pass ethnic favouritism and treat all Nigerians as one.  Every life of Nigerian counts," he said.