Gov Alia visits, condoles victims of herdsmen attack

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia has visited and donated relief materials to hundreds of displaced people in six council wards in Kwande Local Government Area of the State.

He promised to put an end to attacks on the community by bandits suspected to be herdsmen militia.

Gov Alia disclosed this on Friday in Jato Aka while addressing the people in Ichongo Traditional Council, Jato Aka, RCM Special Science Primary School, Nyihemba and Achia Primary Health Care, Usambeliev Ikyurav ya.

He assured them that the government would not fold her hands and watch bandits kill, destroy and take over their communities.

Represented by his Deputy, Dr Sam Ode, Gov Alia promised that a Military post would be established in Abaji to prevent the bandits from attacking farmers in Anyiase, Abande and Nundugh.

He directed the commissioner of Police to back up the police station in Jato Aka with fifty more police personnel for swift response.

Gov Alia said the boundary demarcation between Benue, Taraba, Cameroon, Ebonyi and Nasarawa would commence next month, a measure he believes would serve as a non-kinetic approach to tackling insecurity in the state.

The Secretary to the State Government, Professor Joseph Alakali and Chairman, Kwande Local Government Council, Rev. Mark Hule assured the people of the governor’s commitment to their welfare and were making frantic efforts to resolve the issue once and for all.

While assuring the people of Turan and Ikyurav ya that the police are on top of the situation, Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina said two bandits were killed and one arrested and weapons recovered from them.

The Ter Kwande, Chief Timothy Ahire thanked the Governor for the visit and lamented that the markets in Anyiase Abande, Nundugh and Abaji are no longer witnessing patronage due to attacks by herdsmen militia.

The Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, James Iorpuu assured the people of the agency’s continuous supply of food and non-food items to cushion the sufferings.

A victim, Terver Ageba from Nyihemba, Mbakyor council appreciated the Governor and his entourage for giving them a sense of belonging, pointing out that the herdsmen have dislodged them from their homes and they have nowhere to lay their heads.