Alia to politicians: Stop sponsoring militia to destabilise Benue

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has cautioned politicians against politicising insecurity or sponsoring militia groups to destabilise the state. The governor gave the warning at the weekend when he paid a visit to Gbagiir community in Ukum Local Government Area of the state where 45 people were killed during a clash between rival militia […]

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has cautioned politicians against politicising insecurity or sponsoring militia groups to destabilise the state.

The governor gave the warning at the weekend when he paid a visit to Gbagiir community in Ukum Local Government Area of the state where 45 people were killed during a clash between rival militia groups last week.

Recall that Senator Emmanuel Memga Udende (APC, Benue North East) had moved a motion during plenary last week, over the persistent killings in Ukum, Katsina-Ala, Logo and Kwande LGAs of the state and asked the Senate to do something about it urgently.

The Senate, on the strength of the motion, resolved to raise a delegation to interface with President  Bola Ahmed Tinubu as well as Governor Alia, with a view to finding a lasting solution to the carnage.

The governor said, “If you are sponsoring any militia gang; which some of them (politicians) are, as the traditional leaders have pointed out, let them step back. Their communities, the families in their local governments here are larger than them.

“The person that went out there to cry wolf has to come back and answer to his traditional rulers, tender apologies to me as the governor of the state, and then to the entire people of Benue State.”

The governor who called on Senator Udende to expose those sponsoring militia in his district said the major casualties of the latest attack in the area were members of the militia and a few civilians.