The Sankera Peace and Development Forum, SAPEDEF, has attributed the worsening insecurity in Benue State to what it describes as the inaction and alleged inaccessibility of Governor Hyacinth Alia, who is currently serving his first term in office.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Saturday and signed by its National President, Dr Paul Gbande, and National Secretary, Doshima Vembe, the Sankera-based non-profit peace advocacy group warned that the state government’s failure to engage critical stakeholders has hampered efforts to restore order in the region often referred to as Nigeria’s “food basket.”;
SAPEDEF cautioned the public against heaping blame on security agencies, noting that personnel and troops had continued to give their best in combating insecurity across the 23 local government areas of the state.
“Our investigations revealed that a peace process initiated by the Catholic Bishop of Katsina-Ala Diocese, Most Rev (Dr) Isaac Dugu, had resulted in the decision by suspected criminal gangs to lay down their arms, with certain conditions to be met by the Benue State government,”; the statement noted.
SAPEDEF urged the state government to adopt the recommendations of the Bishop Dugu-led peace initiative, describing it as a credible blueprint for resolving the violence plaguing the Sankera axis. The group expressed concern that Governor Alia has allegedly failed to support or even convene a broader stakeholders’ meeting to deliberate on the Bishop’s findings and proposals.
“As concerned stakeholder, we are worried that the governor has (allegedly) refused to key into the program or call for an expanded stakeholders' meeting, to discuss Bishop Dugu's painstaking and patriotic interface with these people, who opened up on their grievances, and the pathway to a peaceful Sankera.”
SAPEDEF further disclosed that the recent wave of killings was the result of a violent confrontation between two criminal factions — the Full Fire Boys and Chengs Boys — with one allegedly receiving support from Fulani elements in the area.
According to the group, “It has also been revealed that some members of these deadly groups engage in cattle rustling. When this happens, the Fulani herders demand the return of their cows, and in the process, tension escalates, leading to fatality.”
The group asserted that security agencies had already shown a willingness to collaborate with the peace initiative and called on the political leadership to demonstrate the same resolve.
“The peace process that Bishop Dugu initiated, which was welcomed by all stakeholders, is the best thing that would have resolved the security challenges in Sankera and its environs. The delay in the peace process by Governor Alia has exacerbated the state of insecurity in Sankera land and its environs.”
They claimed the state government’s alleged nonchalance had frustrated disarmament efforts and allowed violence to fester.
“At the heart of the rising security challenges in Sankera is the rustling of cattle by a known kingpin in the area. If the governor had acted since last year on this matter, the security agencies would have gone far in the disarmament programme.
“As a matter of fact, the killings that took place recently in all those areas were not orchestrated by the Fulanis. It was a clash between Full Fire Boys and Chengs Boys. And wherever there are clashes, the two groups attack each other's relatives,” the group claimed.
It went further to accuse the state government of sidelining local government structures and failing to fund them adequately, thereby incapacitating grassroots leadership in tackling insecurity and implementing developmental programmes.
“We can say authoritatively that His Excellency, our dear Governor Alia, is (allegedly) not accessible to critical stakeholders in the security ecosystem. Accordingly, when security proposals and other classified materials are brought to him, he is not available to treat or attend to them with the urgency that is required of such briefings,” SAPEDEF stated.
The group concluded by calling on Governor Alia to rise to the occasion and provide the leadership necessary to end the bloodshed in Benue State.
“We state categorically that the insecurity in Sankara and other parts of Benue State will be reduced to the barest minimum whenever the governor decides to act decisively. Also, we appeal to the governor to implement the peace template enunciated by the Bishop, who has shown more than passing passion in this regard,” SAPEDEF said.
