Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has expressed frustration over the worsening security situation in the state, stating that despite his best efforts, insecurity continues to escalate.
Speaking through his media aide, Kula Tersoo, the governor lamented that even with the deployment of additional security personnel and visits by security chiefs, not a single terrorist had been apprehended.
Governor Alia was responding to criticisms from a faction of the All Progressives Congress in Benue State, loyal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, which claimed that the governor lacked the capacity to handle the state’s growing insecurity.
The Akume camp, while referencing the latest attacks which claimed 42 lives, accused Alia of being helpless and confused, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
Pushing back, however, Alia’s media aide, Tersoo, said, “What more do they expect from the governor? He has worked tirelessly to address the security crisis. His efforts are evident in the visits by the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, other top security officials, and even the National Security Adviser.
“More security personnel have been deployed, yet, sadly, no terrorist has been arrested. The governor has supported these operations by providing 300 motorcycles to ease the mobility of the security forces.”
The governor also urged Akume’s APC faction to reflect on the security challenges that plagued previous administrations, particularly under Akume and Samuel Ortom, citing communal clashes and armed herder invasions.
“What is happening now is not worse than the crisis during Akume’s tenure when people from Taraba and Nasarawa states invaded Benue, or the attacks under Ortom’s administration,” he said.
Earlier, the state Publicity Secretary of Akume’s APC faction, led by Austin Agada-led faction, Daniel Ihomun, had accused Governor Alia of being incapable of handling the security crisis.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ihomun was reacting to the killing of a police officer and 41 residents across four communities in Gwer West Local Government Area.
“The latest massacre adds to the long list of unprovoked attacks on our defenseless people,” the statement read. “It is now crystal clear that Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration lacks both the strategy and capacity to confront this crisis.”
The APC also decried what it called the “conspicuous silence” of the Benue State House of Assembly, criticising the lawmakers’ decision to go on recess amid widespread violence.
“At a time when our state is engulfed in what amounts to a genocide, there is absolutely no justification for legislative passivity. The Assembly’s silence is unacceptable,” Ihomun stated.
The factional APC called on President Tinubu to urgently intervene by deploying more security personnel to Benue State.
“The state government has clearly run out of ideas and lacks the political will to confront this menace,” the statement added.
It also reiterated its call for a stakeholders’ security summit that would include representatives from across party lines—National Assembly members, government appointees, youth groups, the clergy, traditional rulers, and security agencies.
“Our people deserve to live without fear. We will not remain silent in the face of ongoing bloodshed and government inaction,” the party stated. (Punch)
