The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State has reached out to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for urgent help following the rising number of violent attacks and killings in various communities. The party claims that Governor Hyacinth Alia has failed to properly manage the worsening insecurity across the state.
Daniel Ihomun, the Publicity Secretary of the APC faction led by Austin Agada, released a statement on Tuesday condemning the recent spate of violence in Gwer West Local Government Area, where a police officer and 41 civilians were reportedly killed.
The party described the latest violence as a heartbreaking continuation of repeated attacks on innocent people in the region. Ihomun noted that the current administration appears to lack both the strategy and capacity to control the bloodshed.
“It is now crystal clear that the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia has no strategy or capacity to address the persistent security crisis ravaging Benue communities. The government’s inability to stem the tide of bloodshed has left our people vulnerable, and the silence from the corridors of power is both deafening and damning,” he stated.
In the same statement, the APC sharply criticised the Benue State House of Assembly for its silence and inactivity during this period. The party condemned the lawmakers’ decision to go on recess amid such a serious crisis.
“As representatives of the people, their inaction and failure to speak out against these atrocities is utterly unacceptable. The leadership of the Assembly has sadly turned its back on those they were elected to serve. At a time when our state is engulfed in what amounts to a genocide, there is absolutely no justification for legislative recess or passivity,” the statement added.
Calling for immediate federal intervention, the APC urged President Tinubu to deploy more security personnel to protect lives and restore calm. The party insisted that the current state government no longer has the political will or ideas to tackle the threat.
The party also renewed its call for a broad security summit involving various stakeholders, including lawmakers, appointees, youths, religious leaders, traditional rulers, and security agencies. The aim, according to the party, is to find a collective solution to the ongoing violence.
“Our people deserve to live without fear. We will not keep silent in the face of continuous attacks and governmental indifference,” the statement concluded.
In a separate development, Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the killings through a statement released by his media aide, Kula Tersoo. The governor supported traditional leaders who recently called for the removal of criminal herders from Benue lands.
The statement reads, “He (Alia) stands resolute with the traditional institution, which has recently mandated the immediate evacuation of criminal herders and their accomplice terrorists from Benue lands.”
Governor Alia also directed security agencies to act swiftly, saying, “It is imperative that these criminal elements and their accomplices are apprehended and dealt with swiftly and justly in accordance with the laws of our land.”
