Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia has maintained his stand that some politicians are involved in certain violent activities, insisting that his position is not baseless but reflects realities familiar to those who have closely followed the security challenges in the state.
The governor emphasized that some local outlaws, particularly in Sankera, are being shielded and motivated by certain politicians based in Abuja.
A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula said that following the Governor’s outing on Channels TV on Friday night, there were pockets of untoward comments as a result of misinterpretations and disinformation, orchestrated by the usual unprincipled lots, whose conscience is permanently for hire.
Kula further explained that during the Governor’s live appearance on the TV, he made a clear distinction between the marauding terrorists’ attacks and the outlaws’ heinous activities in the state, particularly in the Sankera and Kwande axis.
He added that it is the outlaws at Sankera that the Governor emphasized are kept and are often motivated for nefarious activities by some political leaders in Abuja.
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The statement maintained that as far as the issue of insecurity bedeviling the state is concerned, Governor Hyacinth Alia has never shied away from calling a spade a spade, hence his declaration that the kind of Fulanis attacking the state are foreigners.
He recalled that when he made this assertion, it attracted criticism from predictable quarters, but it was subsequently validated by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ).
Kula said the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba while addressing journalists in Abuja, affirmed that intelligence gathered by the military revealed that many of the attackers are indeed non-Nigerians.
The Chief Press Secretary added that as the Chief Security officer of the state, the Governor is often privy to intelligence that must not always be divulged to the public and urged the people not to forget that the Governor clearly told the world that he is privy to the preliminary report from the Judicial Commission of Inquiry for the unrest at Zaki-Biam.
He therefore urged everyone to remain calm as the report will surely be out and the public will be able to know the findings.
The Governor’s spokesman said his principal is known for his altruism and remains very passionate about the defence and utmost care for his people, the people of Benue state.
(Editor: Okechukwu Eze)
