Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, has called on the military to establish more military bases to enhance its operations in the state to ensure that total peace is restored and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) returned to their ancestral homes.
Alia made the appeal in Abuja during a courtesy call on the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, yesterday, in Abuja.
He said the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke operating in the state had achieved a lot of progress in the fight against insecurity leading to relative peace in the state.
“Since we came in May, the state has experienced lots and lots of relative peace and that is the way forward for us.
“Operation Whirl Stroke is at home with us and they are in the trenches and you know, more like Oliver Twist, we came to ask for more and present some more prayers.
“Because, we want not just relative peace, we want absolute peace. Peace in the form that enables our IDPs to go back home to their ancestral farmland and for everyone to sleep with two eyes closed,” he said.
Alia urged the military to establish more forward operation bases especially in local government areas that share border with the Cameroon.
According to him, Benue is one of the very top states with solid minerals and many more have been discovered to some degree that has the potential of rendering them vulnerable.
He said there was need to increase security presence in those areas to enable the government to derive economic benefit from the mineral resources available in the state.
The government promised to support the military with resources to enable them carry out their duties effectively.
The governor commended the commitment of the military leadership under Gen. Musa for the intervention and called for more efforts in the state.
He said the state was at some point infested with insecurity with bandits and killers operating in the Benue Valley leading to deaths and displacement of families as well as loss of farm lands.
Responding, the CDS said the military would continue to put in their best to enhance operations in Benue and secure the state, adding that the governor’s requests were in line with the plans of the military.
Musa said there was need for all to play key roles in providing security, adding that security was everybody’s responsibility.
He said the issue of discovery of mineral resources in the state and its attraction, especially to bandits and other criminal elements was being looked into.
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