GOV. ALIA: DEFYING ALL ODDS TO RESTORE PEACE, TRANQUILITY IN BENUE. (PHOTO).

 GOV. ALIA: DEFYING ALL ODDS TO RESTORE PEACE, TRANQUILITY IN BENUE

Governor Hyacinth Alia might not be your regular Nigerian politician for many reasons. Apart from being a Reverend Father, the 58-year-old Catholic Priest has demonstrated that entrusting governance in the hands of honest, dedicated, and passionate individuals can yield massive positive returns for the people in a short while.

From May 29, 2023 when power changed hands in Benue State, residents have been witnessing rare proactivity and responsiveness in governance, especially in the area of security under which the state’s productivity as ‘Food Basket of the Nation’ lies. No matter how smart, industrious, and productive people may be, if the security of life and property is not guaranteed, nothing will be achieved. This was sadly the story of Benue state for years before the coming of Gov Alia in 2023.

Realising the dangers of insecurity and its existential threats to the state’s food production output, Gov Alia shortly after assumption of office took the bull by the horns by signing an Executive Order which prohibited political and social gatherings beyond 10pm. Others banned are farming on empty unfenced plots of land in front of any premises, on the street, or by the roadside within urban areas; farming on undeveloped areas of government offices or quarters or reserved areas, as well as organising rallies beyond 10pm.

For coordination and implementation, Alia established the Department of Public Order in the Ministry of Justice. The governor upon signing the order explained that it was done in good faith to curb the widespread violent crimes like kidnapping, murder and banditry against targeted groups or individuals leading to the emergence of local warlords and militia groups in the state.

However, this strategic and holistic approach to ending the long years of insecurity that has claimed thousands of lives did not go down well with some people in the state. Despite the massive gains of the implementation of the Executive Order as testified by the good and peace loving people of the state, some particular set of people hiding under the guise of religious programmes are doing everything possible to frustrate the Governor’s commendable efforts and return the state to the dark days.

Thanksgiving services and restriction in some LGs

The recent face-off between senators from the state and chairmen of some troubled Local Government Areas (LGAs) is one desiring of a clearer view, taking into consideration the prevailing security crisis in the affected LGs

According to reports, a church service scheduled to have Senator Emmanuel Udende (representing Benue North East) in attendance was called off on the orders of Dennis Guda, the then caretaker chairman of Vandeikya Local Government Area over prevailing security challenges in the council.

And just last week, a thanksgiving service in honour of Senator Titus Zam (Benue North West) held at a church in Gwer West Local Government Area of the state almost turned violent after the chairman of the council, Victor Ormin arrived the venue of the service. According to Ormin, he had earlier notified the state Commissioner of Police, Hassan Yabanet, through a letter on the need not to hold Thanksgiving services due to insecurity in the LGA .

According to the letter dated November 6, 2024, and titled ‘Notification for ban on all Thanksgiving Services, political and social gatherings in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State’, Ormin hinged the ban on “incessant killings and kidnappings by marauding herdsmen and bandits in Naka and its environs”.

The letter read, “It’s no longer news as scores of our brothers and sisters have been killed and some kidnapped on the Naka/Makurdi road, which has become a death trap on a daily basis and the Gwer West community in general.

“These attacks and killings have led to several protests by youths and Okada riders that have generated a rising tension in our community.

“As we work round the clock to curb the menace, we, as a responsible government, has placed a ban on all social gatherings, including thanksgiving and political gatherings, which may abuse the sensibilities of our people in the already tense environment.”

The chairman further accused Senator Zam of deploying huge resources to exert control rather than channeling it to address the security threats posed by armed herdsmen who continuously terrorise their communities.

However, the embattled Senator described the order banning the thanksgiving service as a negation to the constitution of the country, which guarantees freedom of worship. He added that he notified the police in the state and got permission to hold the thanksgiving service. The lawmaker also heaped blames on the governor whom he accused of masterminding attacks on church activities.

But as a concerned elder in one of the communities noted, Gov Alia being a man of religious calling himself, understands the constitutional guarantee of the freedom of association and religion and would therefore never trample on people’s right to worship.

However, the governor also knows his roles as the Chief Security Officer of the state and is duty bound by the same constitution to ensure the security of lives and property in the state.

Enthronement of LG autonomy in Benue

Governor Alia had earlier this year publicly said his administration has given a “full blessing” to the autonomy of the 23 LGAs in the state.

“I am happy to state that my administration has given its full blessings to the autonomy of our local governments. Funds due to the local governments will be promptly released,” Alia said at the opening of a two-day workshop organised by the Bureau of LG and Chieftaincy Affairs in March.

Agbaba Adole, a keen political observer in the state said the insecurity in some of the LGs had informed the drastic measures put in place by the Council Chairmen to curb insecurity in their respective communities.

“These are part of the dividends of democracy that Gov Alia has brought to bear on Benue State. The LG Chairmen are no longer figure heads as they used to be and can formulate policies to strengthen their security networks. The governor does not interfere with their activities, and people castigating him for the face-offs in these LGs are just playing to the gallery. No one should be considered bigger than the law that aims to bring about the safety of lives and properties in the state. These politicians’ fomenting troubles don’t even live in the communities. They create problems and run to Abuja, leaving our people at the mercy of gunmen.”

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kula Tersoo in a reaction to the faceoff said the incidents in Konshisha, Gwer West and other LGs need to be treated with caution to avert any breakdown of law and order.

He said, “Do you hear that thanksgiving service was disrupted in Gboko, Ushongo, Vandeikiya, and other areas?

“But in the case of Gwer West, the Chairman is exercising the power vested in him, and I wonder why such should rub on the governor. The governor has been insisting that Local Government Areas are

autonomous, and you don’t expect the governor to start interfering in a local government matter.

“We gathered that due to insecurity in Gwer West, the Chairman had warned that there should be no political gatherings, including thanksgiving services.”

While residents have fully cooperated with the governor and the Local Government Chairmen in their bid to ensure security of lives and property in the State, one can only advise politicians across party lines to join hands with the Governor in his untiring efforts to purge Benue of all sorts of insecurity and return the state to its enviable heights.

By Victor Terdoo