Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia
By TYAV SAM TYAV, Makurdi –
The security initiatives of the Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia coupled with his commitment to ensuring a peaceful and secured Benue deserves commendation by the people.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday while reacting to recent comment credited to the immediate past Governor of the State, Samuel Ortom.
According to the Governor’s spokesman “we would have excused and ignored Ortom with his resurrected vicious propaganda against the Governor, especially that ”you cannot give what you don’t have,” but there is a compelling need to respond and put the records straight for the unsuspecting public.”
Kula explained that Governor Alia has never said there was absolute peace in Benue state, explaining further that he has been consistent that relative peace has returned in the State under his watch.
“It is a testament of fact that the state has witnessed a marked reduction in violence compared to previous years. Observable facts support the assertion that the spate of killings and attacks on local communities have drastically decreased. Under Governor Alia, daily mass killings have significantly diminished, allowing residents to feel safer in their communities.
“People whom hitherto could not access their ancestral homes, now go there to farm. Some have even returned and settled back home. Markets that were once closed because of insecurity are now thriving again.
“In Guma LGA where Samuel Ortom hails from, local markets like Kaseyo, Ortese, Gbajimba, Daudu etc. have reopened, showcasing a resurgence in commerce and a return to normalcy. This economic revival is a testament to improved security and governmental effectiveness.”
The Governor’s spokesman insisted that Governor Alia has effectively reduced the number of IDPs in the state even as his predecessor claimed there were four million IDPs but recent profiling has shown that fewer than one million remain in camps.
“This exodus from IDP camps shows that many families have returned to their ancestral homes, further signifying a return to stability.”
Kula informed that the resurgence of agricultural activities in Mbagwen and Isherev districts in Makurdi and surrounding areas underscores the positive impact of the current administration’s efforts to restore peace and confidence.
The Chief Press Secretary who admitted that there were still security challenges in parts of the state, also revealed that Governor Alia was actively working to address the issues adding that the Governor’s approach was constructive and focused on problem-solving rather than engaging in political grandstanding or fear mongering.
“Governor Alia is a breath of fresh air. He is not like Ortom, who was grandstanding about security challenges in the media, feasting terribly on the blood of innocent people of Benue under the umbrella of “Security votes.” Governor Alia is taking a quiet but effective approach to tackling insecurity in Benue State. He’s working diligently to eliminate the rate of insecurity in the state, and for that, he deserves commendation rather than vituperation.
“It does not surprise us that the diatribe is coming from the people who instigated all the security challenges, which Gov. Alia is doing everything possible to flush out. Gov.Hyacinth Iormem Alia is committed to finding solutions rather than just talking about the problems.
“We are not oblivious of the fact that there are traditional rulers who are colluding with external forces to perpetuate insecurity in the state for their collaborators to lash in for cheap blackmail.
According to him Governor Alia’s actions has demonstrated a genuine commitment to improving security and fostering a peaceful environment in Benue State which he insisted deserves support rather than unfounded accusations or politicization of the situation.
