Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has accused “Abuja politicians” of sponsoring and supporting armed banditry and killings in the Sankera axis of the state, which includes Katsina-Ala, Ukum, and Logo Local Government Areas.
The Governor made the allegation on Sunday after attending a thanksgiving service at the Chapel of Grace, Government House Makurdi. He lamented that the bandits were “homegrown” and had taken up arms to kill their own people.
“I used the example of an octopus to describe the security situation in Sankera, because we are talking about the composition of every frame and form of insecurity that have come up on the people of Ukum LGA,” Governor Alia said.
He added, “During my campaign, I told every faceless person in the three Senatorial zones who were creating instability in the state to sheathe their swords and that the new government was coming in to liberate them, to get them out of the bushes and stop them from killing their siblings. And that is what we have been trying to do.”
Governor Alia expressed pain that the instability in Ukum LGA was caused by homegrown bandits who were killing their own people, stopping them from farming, and destabilizing the local government.
He said, “In other climes, if you are talking of insecurity, you are fighting those who have come from outside trying to grab land and destabilize the lives of the people in those areas. But in Ukum LGA and Sankera axis, this is a different story which is strange.”
The Governor noted that he had extended an olive branch to the bandits, offering to sponsor their education and provide skills training to help them acquire better skills and earn a good living.
He said, “Unfortunately, even those who were inclined to coming out were being attacked in the fight for superiority right there in the bushes. My anxiety and the deeper wounds I feel on this is that the so-called Abuja politicians are the ones sponsoring and supporting these young men.”
Governor Alia also announced that a Judicial Panel of Inquiry had been set up to investigate the recent attacks in Ukum LGA and Sankera axis. He did not rule out the offer of amnesty to the bandits but noted that their trust had been betrayed in the past.
He said, “Trying to gauge in an option of amnesty is not a bad idea, but here is the thing, their trust had been betrayed. And they are so conscious of that. We are speaking about faceless people out there. And the only way they hear my messages is when I speak to you the media. So it will be premature to say amnesty, so come out.”
