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The Sankera Peace and Development Forum (SAPEDEF) has attributed the escalating insecurity in Benue State to the alleged inaction of the governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, who is serving his first term in office on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to the Sankara-based non-profit and peace advocacy group, the perceived inaccessibility of the governor has made it difficult for critical stakeholders to offer valuable perspectives on the pathway for peace and order in the food basket state.

The group cautioned the public against blaming the security agencies, saying the officers and their gallant troops have continued to do their best, to rid the general area of insecurity, and restore order across the 23 Local Governments Areas.

In a statement signed on Saturday by its National President, Dr Paul Gbande, and Doshima Vembe, National Secretary respectively, the indigenous group urged the state government to adopt the outcome of the peace process initiated by Bishop Dugo, with a view to ensuring a secure Sankara land.

In SAPEDEF’s considered view, the Bishop Isaac Dugu template, if adopted and implemented to the letter, could serve as a catalyst for the restoration of total peace and security in Benue State, in general,

It said: “We are saddened by the killings in Sankera, occasioned by the rising tensions, bloody clashes by rival criminal gangs, and general insecurity, which negative effects are already telling on the socio-economic lives of the people.

“Our investigations revealed that a peace process initiated by the Catholic Bishop of Katsina-Ala Diocese, Most Rev (Dr) Isaac Dugu, had resulted in the decision by suspected criminal gangs to lay down their arms, with certain conditions to be met by the Benue State government.

“As concerned stakeholder, we are worried that the Governor has (allegedly) refused to key into the program or call for an expanded stakeholders’ meeting, to discuss Bishop Dugu’s painstaking and patriotic interface with these people, who opened up on their grievances, and the pathway to a peaceful Sankera.

“We also take the liberty to inform that, contrary to widely-held views, the recent killings were orchestrated by two rival groups with one sponsored by Fulani in Sankera – Full Fire Boys, and Chengs Boys – whose supremacy battle has not only claimed the lives of many locals, but is well known within the general area.

“It has also been revealed that some members of these deadly groups engage in cattle rustling. When this happens, the Fulani herders demand for the return of their cows, and in the process, tension escalates, leading to fatality. ”

The group further claimed that security agencies had keyed into the Dugu-led peace initiative, saying all that was required was for the political authority to show courage, by discussing and adopting the template, with amendments, where the need arose.

“The peace process that Bishop Dugu initiated, which was welcomed by all stakeholders, is the best thing that would have resolved the security challenges in Sankera and its environs.

“The delay in the peace process by Governor Alia has exacerbated the state of insecurity in Sankera land and its environs.

“At the heart of the rising security challenges in Sankera is the rustling of cattle by a known kingpin, Chen in the area.

“If the governor had acted since last year on this matter, the security agencies would have gone far in the disarmament programme.

“As a matter of fact, the killings that took place recently in all those areas were not orchestrated by the Fulanis. It was a clash between Full Fire Boys and Chengs Boys. And wherever there are clashes, the two groups attack each other’s relatives. ”

It continued: “However, the (alleged) laxity and nonchalant attitude of the Benue State government has stalled the laudable initiative, and the resultant effect is the escalating security challenges in the zone.

“As a matter of fact, the governor of Benue State, Very Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia does not accord security agencies, the full support needed to end the cycle of killings in the ‘food basket state’, which is breaking under the weight of insecurity, displacements, and the like.

“We can say authoritatively that His Excellency, our dear Governor Alia, is (allegedly) not accessible to critical stakeholders in the security ecosystem.

“Accordingly, when security proposals and other classified materials are brought to him, he is not available to treat or attend to them with the urgency that is required of such briefings.

“More worrisome is the fact that the State Government has allegedly refused to fund the local Governments; a development that is really impacting the capacity of the grassroots executives to execute people-oriented policies and programmes, with capacity to also tackle insecurity.”

The group concluded by calling on the governor to step up efforts in ending insecurity in Benue State, insisting that as a chief security officer of the state, anything less was unacceptable from the entire Benue people.

“We state categorically that the insecurity in Sankara and other parts of Benue State will be reduced to the barest minimum whenever the governor decides to act decisively.

“This is because security agencies have demonstrated overwhelming commitment to ending insecurity in Benue State, and all they need is the government’s operational and logistics support.

“Also, we appeal to the governor to implement the peace template enunciated by the Bishop, who has shown more than passing passion in this regard, ” the group said.