Gani Adams advocates decentralised security to curb killings in Benue, others

By Lukman Olabiyi

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has called for the urgent decentralisation of Nigeria’s security architecture, insisting, it is the only viable solution to the persistent killings in Benue State and the growing insecurity across the country.

In a statement released on Friday, Adams condemned the recent wave of violence in Benue State, which has led to the deaths of hundreds of people, destruction of property, and displacement of entire communities.

He described the situation as highly condemnable and warned that Nigeria’s current centralised security system is failing to protect citizens and maintain peace. “The recurring killings in Benue, like those in Plateau and other parts of the country, are the result of a complex web of factors, including clashes between herders and farmers, proliferation of arms, weak law enforcement, and economic hardship. This crisis is a grave threat to our national peace, stability, and development,” Adams said.

He noted that the violence has severely disrupted agriculture, the backbone of the region’s economy, thereby worsening food insecurity and poverty.

The killings, he said, not only violate citizens’ constitutional right to life but also threaten Nigeria’s unity and economic future. Adams also expressed concern over growing insecurity nationwide, citing reports from the U.S. Embassy, warning of terrorist activity in Nigeria’s coastal areas and advising American citizens to avoid military zones, particularly in Abuja.

“The roads from the South-West through Kogi to the North are no longer safe. Many now resort to costly air travels, further stressing already struggling households,” he said.

He lamented the rising levels of insecurity across the country, from terrorist attacks in the North, to movement restrictions in the South-East and South-South, and the presence of armed herdsmen in the South-West.

According to Adams, the security situation has become so dire that even his office is inundated with daily complaints from communities under threat.