By Chaingi Avese, Makurdi
Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has directed the state’s security agencies to apprehend and prosecute criminals who disrupt the peace in the state.
The Governor gave the directive after receiving a briefing on the attack on Hon. Terwase Orbunde, Chief of Staff to former Governor Samuel Ortom, and the subsequent kidnapping of his wife and housemaid by unknown gunmen.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to providing necessary support to security agencies to rid the state of nefarious activities.
In a statement by Sir Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, “Gov. Alia condemned in strong terms the unfortunate incident, saying, I am shocked and dismayed by this barbaric act”.
“Security should and must be everyone’s concern. The law enforcement agencies and the government need information. Make it a culture that anytime you see something, you say something,” the Governor charged the people.
The Governor acknowledged that insecurity is not only peculiar to Benue State but a global issue. However, he promised to work round the clock to ensure the safety of every life and property in the state. He reassured Benue residents that security is a top priority in his administration, and matters of insecurity will soon be a thing of the past.
Recent attacks in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, have made security an urgent issue in the state. The private home of a serving National Assembly member, Hon. Solomon Wombo, and a prominent member of the immediate past administration, Hon. Terwase Orbunde, were attacked in the last two weeks alone.
Uneasy calm pervades major towns in the state as news of attacks on prominent personalities has continued to create apprehension in citizens, keeping many people behind locked gates, and improving security measures around homes.
Security agencies in the state have stepped up vigil, and sustained patrols with particular attention to areas known to be flashpoints even as they call for information that may and could lead to the arrest of criminal elements and intending criminals in the State.
