Benue State Governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, has announced that his government will before the end of May this year, establish a State-Owned security outfit comprising 10,000 youths, to be deployed across the State to help tackle rising insecurity, that has displaced hundreds of farmers with property worth millions of naira, destroyed.
Governor Alia while addressing party stakeholders in Makurdi, the State Capital, said the new security outfit will complement existing security agencies of the government to restore peace and guarantee the safety of lives.
Reports indicate that over 28,997 lives have been lost to insecurity in the state between 2010 and 2022, including deaths from attacks by local militias and armed herders.
The insecurity has stalled the plans by the government to return hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes. Leading to a call on armed herders and invaders by the State government to leave the state.
According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Tersoo Kula, Governor Alia said the launch of the State owned security outfit will aid in securing Benue communities, enabling farmers to access their farm lands without fear.
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He said his administration is already working towards procuring Hilux vans and motorcycles that will be used by the security outfit to access the nooks and crannies of the state.
Governor Alia told the stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that some enemies of the state had gone to invite unknown gunmen to come into Benue and destabilize its peace, but that the government has been able to push the invaders back to where they came from, and will continue to do so until they are all gone, to enable farmers return to farm to ensure food security for the state.
He explained however, that some local government areas such as Kwande, Ukum, Logo, Gwer East, Gwer West, Guma, Apa, Agatu, are still affected by the attacks, but that the state government will not rest on its oars until the state becomes much safer.
It will be recalled that the immediate past administration of former governor Samuel Ortom in the State had launched a similar security outfit, called the “Community Volunteer Guards” to address insecurity in the state, claiming that it was in response to the failure of the federal government under former President Muhammadu Buhari to adequately secure the lives and property of Benue residents.
Ortom had also promised to legally procure and equip the guards with AK-47 and AK-49 assault rifles to enable them to effectively wage war against terrorists and other criminal elements.
