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By John Ogunsemore
The Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has reiterated his call for the immediate establishment of state police in Nigeria, noting that the present centralised security structure has failed to properly address the lingering attacks and killings in parts of the country, particularly in Benue.
Alia made the fresh call while receiving the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu who was in the state to condole with the people of Benue over the continued loss of lives and displacement caused by violent attacks, according to a statement by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula.
The governor also restated the call for a regional approach to ranching, calling on the First Lady to champion the domestication of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law across the North Central region.
He emphasised that a decentralised and locally-controlled police force is critical to improving security response, intelligence gathering, and accountability in vulnerable communities.
He said, “The current security architecture has not proven sufficient in curbing the incessant attacks on our communities.
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“It is time for Nigeria to embrace State Police as a practical and necessary step towards securing lives, property, and peace across the nation.”
The governor maintained that uniform enforcement across states would eliminate safe havens for violators moving across borders, noting that over 1.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are currently spread across camps and host communities in the state, with new camps emerging in Makurdi and Naka due to recent attacks.
He commended the First Lady for her compassion and multiple interventions through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), which have benefitted women, youths, traders, and vulnerable groups in Benue State.
“The people of Benue State are sincerely grateful. Your visit is not just symbolic; it is impactful and healing,” the governor added.
Meanwhile, Mrs Tinubu who condoled Governor Alia, Tor Tiv and the people of the state over the recent massacre at Yelewata, donated the sum of N1 billion to help rebuild and resettle displaced families who loss lives and property in tragedies perpetrated by marauding armed herders.
