“I must do everything to protect my people,” Benue’s Alia vows after gunmen attack

By Emmanuel Antswen

Gov. Hyacinth Alia has vowed that he will do everything legitimately possible to ensure that people of Benue state are protected and their land is secured.

Alia said this while expressing deep sadness over attack by some yet to be identified gunmen on Efeyi community in Ugboju District of Otukpo Local Government Area of the state.

Scores of residents were reportedly killed, while many others sustained varying degrees of injuries after the attackers invaded the community in the early hours of Tuesday.

“Our people are peaceful and hardworking. I was elected to protect them, and I must do everything legitimately possible to ensure my people are protected and our land is secured,” Alia said while describing the attack as unfortunate.

He also vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice, according to a statement issued Tuesday in Makurdi by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Tersoo Kula.

Alia also commended the Benue Police Command for its swift response to the incident.

He said the police neutralised two suspected armed bandits believed to have participated in the attack while pursuing the fleeing assailants.

Police operatives were immediately deployed after receiving reports of the attack to track down those responsible.

The operatives engaged the fleeing suspects in a gun battle, killing two who allegedly provided cover for others attempting to escape.

Alia reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting security agencies in eliminating criminal elements and safeguarding lives and property across the state.

He warned that those seeking to displace Benue residents and occupy their ancestral lands would not succeed.

The governor said: “Benue land is for Benue people. Those who think they can come, push people away, and take over should think twice.

The latest attack comes less than a week after Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu announced a special 14-day security operation to flush out criminal elements from identified flashpoints across Benue.

Disu made the declaration last Thursday during a town hall meeting on security in Makurdi, attended by Alia, the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, religious leaders, traditional rulers, security chiefs and other stakeholders.

Disu described the security situation in Benue as a source of “sleepless nights” for both residents and security agencies.

He decried that the state, once renowned for peace and hospitality, had become engulfed by violence.

According to him, the crisis has evolved beyond farmer-herder clashes, with kidnappers, armed gangs and political interests aggravating the insecurity.

Disu urged youths not to allow themselves to be recruited by influential individuals to perpetrate violence, particularly during elections.

“The youth are usually not the ones who start wars, but they are the ones who fight them. Parents must caution their children against being used as cannon fodder,” he said.

IGP condemned the cycle of attacks and reprisals across the state, saying it must come to an end.

He conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that insecurity in Benue would no longer be tolerated and warned that only authorised security personnel were permitted to bear arms.

The police chief vowed to intensify efforts to recover illegal firearms and said officers had been directed to act decisively in line with Force Order 237 whenever confronted by armed criminals.

He acknowledged concerns over police misconduct, admitting the force was not perfect but assuring residents that every complaint against officers would be investigated and appropriate action taken.

Disu directed the Benue Commissioner of Police to publicly display his contact details to encourage residents to report crimes and police misconduct, stressing that policing could only succeed through community partnership.

“The Nigerian police belong to the people. We are here to serve you, not to be your masters,” he said.

The Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) of police in charge of mobile police, Francis Iduh, disclosed that the force had identified 14 major security flashpoints across Benue for targeted operations.

He listed the vulnerable areas to include Gbajimba, Agasha, Kwande, Agatu, Naka, Otukpo, Makurdi, Apa and other communities mapped for intensive surveillance.

Iduh said the planned 14-day operation would involve stability and clearance patrols aimed at reclaiming forests, farmlands and criminal hideouts.

He explained that the exercise would target armed herders, bandits and other criminal elements without victimising innocent residents.

“If communities partner with us and provide credible intelligence, we will deal with criminals without criminalising law-abiding citizens,” he said.