Benue NLC protests insecurity and urges FG to act urgently

From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Benue State Council, has called on the federal government to take urgent steps to end insecurity in Nigeria.

The state NLC chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Igbe, made the call on Wednesday while leading members of the union, both public and private, on a peaceful protest in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

Mr Igbe noted that the level of killings of innocent Nigerians by armed herdsmen, bandits and other criminal elements has become too prevalent.

He said members of the Benue NLC had taken to major streets across Makurdi metropolis to stage a peaceful protest in line with the directives from the national body of the NLC over the level of insecurity in Nigeria.

He stated that the aim was to pressure the government to take urgent action to end the menace.

The state chairman said Benue State has been worse hit by unabated killings, kidnappings by bandits and armed herdsmen attacks, and called on President Bola Tinubu to end these menaces for peace to reign.

He emphasised that some roads such as the Naka–Makurdi road, which usually takes a few minutes’ drive, have become impassable due to armed herdsmen attacks, leading many to take alternate roads which usually take close to three hours from Makurdi to Naka.

He described the wanton killings in Benue and elsewhere in the country as unacceptable and worrisome, and appealed to Governor Hyacinth Alia to deliver the message to Mr President to salvage the situation for peace and to enable those in IDP camps to return to their ancestral homes.

Receiving their demands at Government House, Makurdi, Governor Hyacinth Alia, who was represented by the Head of Service, Dr Ogbogbo Ode, acknowledged the level of insecurity in the state and country, assuring that their message would receive quick attention as the governor would present it to Mr President.

The Head of Service earlier said the governor is not unmindful of the insecurity situation in the country, particularly in Benue State, which made the President visit Benue. He assured that both leaders are working together to end the menace permanently and bring succour to the people.