The government of Benue State has committed to eradicating all traces of criminal activity in the state.
Mr. Joseph Har, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Benue State on Security and Internal Affairs, made this revelation in Makurdi while he was engaging with members of the press in his office on the recent spate of banditry in the Ukum Local Government Area of the state.
Har gave the assurance that the government of Governor Hyacinth Alia is completely dedicated to putting an end to violent crimes throughout the state.
He stated that already Alia’s recent visit to the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, for assistance is yielding great results because there is a big military presence in Makurdi, which is the capital of the State.
He added that one component of the strategy is to employ a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic means to engage the bandits, as well as the stick-and-carrot technique.
In addition, he mentioned that the government is already working with the bandits to establish trust and confidence.
He pointed out that even though the strategy taken in the past was flawed, the current administration is eager and determined to push things in the right direction.
“As a priest, Governor Hyacinth Alia, who is also my principal, is very sincere and passionate about human life. In a first in the annals of this nation’s history, a state now has not one but two security advisers, one for security and strategic liaison and the other for security and internal affairs respectively.
We are currently communicating with the robbers and pleading with them to calm down. I will direct your attention to the Gana era, which was handled in an incorrect manner. So it seems that these bandits are having second thoughts, but we have a Governor who is sincere and honest and is eager to lend a hand of fellowship to everyone who needs it.
The fact that things were done incorrectly the day before does not necessarily suggest that things will continue to be done incorrectly in the future. “We are telling them to trust this government as well as security agencies, who are committed to a peaceful kinetic approach,” he said. “We are telling them to trust this government and security agencies.”
