…He’s Responsible For Worsened Insecurity
When a state governor takes the oath of office, he swears to always be truthful and fair in his actions and words. The same oath demands that a governor should give priority to his people and everything that can ensure their welfare and safety.
Governor Hyacinth Alia’s recent statements and actions in response to the security challenges in parts of Benue State are not only a violation and negation of the oath he took on May 29, 2023 but are also irresponsible and potentially dangerous. The governor who was speaking to journalists last Sunday blamed previous administrations for not handling the security situation well which he claimed led to more violence in the Sankera area and other parts of the state. Alia faulted the amnesty programme of the Samuel Ortom administration and took another swipe at members of the National Assembly from the state whom he described as “Abuja politicians” for aiding the escalation of insecurity in Sankera.
With his conclusive statements and blame-game, it means Governor Alia has already preempted the outcome of the Commission of Inquiry that he set up to investigate the security situation in Sankera.
It is really disturbing that a state governor has chosen to lead with lies, more lies and vendetta. By spreading false information and shifting blame onto others, Governor Alia has demonstrated a lack of integrity and leadership in dealing with a critical issue that affects the lives and well-being of the people he was elected to protect.
First and foremost, Governor Alia’s attempt to blame previous administrations and the efforts of the Ortom government for the current security crisis in the Sankera area is disingenuous and misleading. The Ortom administration, despite its own challenges, made significant efforts to address the security situation in Sankera, including implementing an amnesty programme that led to the disarming of hundreds of young people who had taken up arms against the people before Ortom became governor in 2015. We remember how Governor Ortom would personally and constantly meet with stakeholders from all over the state to find ways of dealing with the security challenges. Ortom also provided security agencies with numerous patrol vehicles plus other equipment and logistic support to enable them tackle insecurity. The amnesty programme initiated by Ortom was a huge success, irrespective of the few bandits who reneged but were immediately declared wanted and security forces went after them. At the time Ortom was leaving office, peace had returned to the Sankera area because most of the bandits were chased out of the communities and forests where they were hiding and the people had returned to their farms and markets.
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There are reports that when Alia was campaigning ahead of the 2023 elections, he met with the bandits in Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala with whom he had an agreement to give them revenue collection contracts and reintegrate them into the society, if he was elected. He won the election but after one year, the militia men did not hear from him. He abandoned them. Alia’s betrayal of the trust of these militiamen by failing to fulfill his promises of empowerment and reintegration is believed to be the cause of the escalation of violence in the Sankera area.
Governor Alia’s scapegoating of “Abuja politicians” for the ongoing militia attacks in Ukum is not only baseless but also serves to deflect attention away from his own failures to effectively address the security challenges in the state. By resorting to such tactics, Governor Alia is shirking his responsibility as the chief security officer of the state and undermining efforts to find lasting solutions to the insecurity currently plaguing the state.
The Benue Governor’s reckless statements, including his unfounded accusations against the people of Benue for rustling herders’ cattle as the cause of reprisal attacks, have only served to inflame tensions and worsen the security situation in parts of the state. By promoting falsehood and inciting division, Governor Alia is not only failing in his duty to protect the people of Benue but also actively contributing to the cycle of violence and instability that threatens the peace and stability of the state.
Leadership is about taking responsibility and being accountable and honest to the people in words and actions. It is imperative that Governor Alia prioritizes truth, transparency, and accountability in his approach to governance and takes concrete steps to address the root causes of the security challenges facing Benue State. Failure to do so will only lead to further instability and suffering for the people he was elected to serve.
Signed:
Aloysius Gbakaan
President,
ALLIANCE FOR TRUTH AND JUSTICE.
