From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has called on Governor Hyacinth Alia to extend logistic and equipment support to security agencies in the state to boost the fight against growing insecurity.
The PDP made this call in a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Chief Bemgba Iortyom and made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Wednesday.
The party said the gesture will continue the age long tradition by former governors of the state to assist security agencies in the state to fight crimes and criminalities.
PDP recalled that the preceding administrations of Governors George Akume, Gabriel Suswam and Samuel Ortom, at inception, procured operational trucks, patrol cars and communication gadgets and donated to the various security agencies in the state to strengthen their crime fighting efforts.
“This trend contributed in no small measure towards boosting and sustaining the operational efficacy of intra and inter state security task forces such as “Operation Zenda”, “Operation Whirlstroke” and other regular units in the fight against the menace of crime and insecurity.
“PDP calls on Governor Alia not to abort the trend, considering the worsening state of insecurity which himself has been a direct victim of, with his Commissioner of Information kidnapped last year and only released after weeks in the custody of suspected bandits.
“It was also during the burial of the late Ter Katsina-Ala, a couple of weeks back, where the governor was present that his appointed Caretaker Chairman for Ukum Local Government Council on his way to attend the occasion was kidnapped by suspected bandits and is yet to be released.”
The party which expressed worry over attacks and killings by suspected herdsmen against the people in their homes, farms and even on the roads, from Agatu to Gwer-West to Guma to Kwande and elsewhere.
“Our great party draws the governor’s attention to the fact that his policy of near total silence over those atrocities tends to give the demotivating impression that insecurity in the state is a thing of normalcy, and he will do well to speak out more to the world about those unfortunate acts.”
PDP urged Governor Alia to procure much needed vehicles, communication gadgets and sundry equipment and donate to security agencies to add bite to their fight against perpetrators of insecurity in the state.