By Mson Fachir
Security: The group known as Defenders of Democracy, DoD has accused the Governor Benue State, Hyacinth Alia of cluelessness and ineptitude in tackling insecurity as rampaging Fulani militia continue to kill and displace hundreds people in parts of the state.
In a statement by its President Amos Uchiv, DoD, which was reacting to the latest killings in Ukum local government area of the state where some persons were killed yesterday (Saturday) and a pregnant woman was kidnapped, said Governor Alia should be held responsible for the escalating insecurity which has led to the loss of many lives and destruction of property worth billions of naira.
The group described as insensitive, Alia’s decision to accommodate Fulanis and support the establishment of cattle colonies as being planned by the Federal Government.
The statement reads:
“The Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia has failed us on all fronts. He is clueless and inept and does not seem to bother even if half of the people are massacred by Fulani militia.
“The other day we read in the papers that Governor Alia had made sure that Benue was included in the list of states where the Federal Government is planning to establish cattle colonies and we were wondering if the man is out of his mind. Which part of the state does he hope to cede for the construction of the Fulani settlements (Ruga)?
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“The Fulanis were very happy to hear that the governor of Benue State is ready to give them lands to own and occupy. If this is part of the agreement he had with the Fulani before they supported his election, we want governor Alia to know that he will have us to content with. We will mobilize our people in the 23 local government areas to resist the plan to impose Fulani on us. Alia can take them to his ward Mbadede in Vandeikya local government area. We have no land for Fulani cattle colonies.
“Since Alia became governor, he has not bothered to pay a visit to the camps housing thousands of IDPs. It was the United Nations visiting delegation that forced him to accompany them to one of the camps. What about his campaign promise to return the IDPs to their ancestral homes within the first 100 days in office? He woefully failed to fulfill the promise.
“No day passes without people being killed in Benue State under the watch of Gov. Alia. Four months into his tenure, the governor is yet to appoint a security adviser. He also does not meet with heads of security agencies in the state. What manner of governor is that?
“Alia has made Benue people miss the former governor Samuel Ortom in a very short time. Ortom was a strong voice against the Fulani agenda in his state and the country at large. He was always the first to rally other Nigerians to reject any attempt by the Buhari government to help the Fulani to take over parts of Nigeria as their own. We did not agree with all of Ortom’s policies and actions but on the Fulani issue, he was outstanding. What we have now as governor is a total failure!
“We must remind governor Alia that Benue people voted for him to protect them, not to be flying in private jets across the world and spending their money on wasteful personal luxuries like buying expensive cars, buying houses in choice locations in Abuja, Lagos etc. He promised us that he would provide good governance, but what we have so far seen is a misfit in power.
“Our people are being killed like chickens and governor Alia is not doing or saying anything. In fact, we understand that he has been trying to suppress the media from reporting the attacks and killings. He wants Nigerians to believe that no more attacks are taking place in Benue State when indeed the rate of the attacks has doubled since he came to power.
“Lastly, we demand that governor Alia should remove Benue State from the list of cattle colonies and instead request the Federal Government to release funds for the resettlement of over 2 million people who are displaced in the state. That is what our people want to hear.
