Group Berates Gov Alia for not addressing insecurity at recent media outing

From Dooshima Terkura Makurdi

A group under the auspices of Benue Advocacy Network (BAN), has berated Governor Hyacinth Alia for not addressing the spate of insecurity perpetrated by armed herdsmen across the state during his recent media chat.

President of the Network, Enoch Ortese during a press conference in Makurdi expressed disbelief that during the two-hours live media chat, Governor Alia, “embarked on a self-glorification voyage and, raised unsubstantiated claims without tangible evidence to support them” condemning all previous administrations for doing little or nothing until his assumption of duty.

Ortese who lamented the constant attacks on communities, displacements and deaths of thousands of citizens said “The governor avoided discussing the most pressing issue that has become an existential threat to the people of Benue State.

“He deliberately refused to address the spate of insecurity perpetrated by armed Fulani herdsmen, which has led to constant attacks on Benue communities, resulting in thousands being killed and communities being occupied by armed pastoralists.

“He was deliberately silent on the occupation of Benue communities by Fulani terrorists who have been deciding when and where the people can move.

“Even when Governor Alia reluctantly mentioned the critical issue of insecurity, which is currently affecting about 19 out of the 23 local governments in Benue State, he merely rationalized and defended the nomadic cattle herders by making inappropriate references to the ECOWAS Protocol, claiming it provides legal protection for pastoralists to move freely in and out of territories.

“As he has often done, the governor described the issue of insecurity as skirmishes.”

The group also noted that it would have been interesting if Governor Alia had provide reasons for the abandonment of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of 2017, which was enacted by the previous government with the support of the Benue people.

They said the law was very effective in tackling the herdsmen menace until the current government took office as “The enforcement of the law by the immediate past administration led to the arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment of many violators and the impoundment of hundreds of animals whose owners were fined and sanctioned.

“By the time the previous administration was leaving office, cows could no longer be seen roaming around and destroying people’s farms and other property in parts of the state. The records for the successful enforcement of the law are still available. The current government has reversed and jeopardized all those measures and disbanded the State Livestock Guards to please the Fulani.”

Among several other demands, the group urged the governor to tell the Benue people what his government knows about the sustained attacks on communities and his plans to end these killings.

They said “the governor should also provide an explanation for the additional camps and tents that his administration is constructing for the internally displaced persons (IDPs), instead of fulfilling his promise to return them to their ancestral homelands within his first 100 days in office.”

They also urged the Governor to explain the whereabouts of the “100” vehicles he displayed during the launch of the new security outfit known as “Anyam Nyor” in December last year saying no one seems to have sighted them in any part of the state, especially in the face of intensified attacks on our people.”