IGP’s Visit To Benue: A New Step To Tame Insecurity

It wasn’t a chance meeting. It was a strategic sitting to push the search for peace in Benue State on a faster lane. The meeting between Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia and the Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu on Thursday, July 23rd 2026, at the Old Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi, was an unwavering commitment to reducing the burden of insecurity, restoring hope and building community resilience to make Benue State more peaceful and prosperous.

The town hall meeting that followed and brought Rev. Fr Alia, who is the Chief Security Officer of Benue State and the IGP, Nigeria’s number one law enforcement officer, is a symbiotic approach to mobilisation of human and material resources to firmly confront the security challenges in the state.

For decades, Benue has suffered from unimaginable security challenges that are largely driven by herders, indigenous criminal militias, thugs, border disputes, and cultism.

According to a security expert, Kabir Adamu, over 1,043 people were killed in Benue State between May 2023 and May 2025.

In fact, between 2015 and March 2023, Benue State recorded a total of 5,138 deaths due to armed invasions and conflicts. The figures comprised

1,177 deaths in 2015, a total of 809 deaths in 2016; 43 in 2017, and 440 in 2018. The number of reported deaths from the conflicts was 174 in 2019; the year 2020 recorded 88 deaths; while in 2021, the figures of those killed rose to 2,131; a lower figure of 172 in 2022, and from January to March 2023, a total of 104 deaths were recorded within the period. These numbers are based on reported cases, and the actual death toll may be higher due to unreported incidents.

It is therefore reassuring that the government of Rev. Fr Alia has continued to explore every available and effective means of tackling the security challenges, and this townhall meeting and renewed collaboration with the Police High Command is an essential step to bring relief to citizens, build trust, and engage law abiding people in the state to lend a hand of support to security agencies, so as to quash these statistics and bring it to zero level.

The Governor, used the forum to reaffirm his administration’s commitment to supporting the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies in restoring lasting peace across the state, while renewing his call for the establishment of state police as a sustainable solution to Nigeria’s security challenges.

To the governor, the IGP’s visit was not only timely and reassuring, but also a reflection of the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to strengthening internal security through community policing and closer collaboration with the Benue State Government.

As someone who readily accepts responsibility, Governor Alia lamented the continued attacks and loss of lives in Benue’s agrarian communities, which is also threatening national food security.

It is on record that the governor has consistently supported security agencies with operational vehicles, motorcycles, communication equipment, and other logistics while promoting intelligence sharing and coordinated operations through regular Security Council meetings. This support has not stopped.

One clear gain from the operational assessment visit and town hall meeting is the preparation for a two weeks non-stop security operation across identified flashpoints in the state. The operation will target criminal herders, local militias, thugs, cultists, and other criminals, making life difficult for law-abiding citizens. This operational plan has received the state’s full support.

As this is going on, Governor Alia once more reiterated his position on state police,

emphasizing that the conversation should no longer be about whether Nigeria needs state police but how to make it operational. He believes that police officers with local knowledge of the terrain and communities would facilitate more effective, efficient, and creative security measures in their local communities.

One fundamental to effective security is the undeniable role of citizens. Security as always stressed, is a collective responsibility, as such the people bear a great part of the responsibility of supporting security agencies with credible information, identifying criminals in their midst, being vigilant at all times and knowing that criminality bothers not about religion, tribe or place of origin. Criminals are deviant elements, self-centred, devoid of empathy, and ready to kill without looking back. So, the best way to get more displaced persons back home is when law-abiding citizens take ownership of law enforcement by supporting security agencies to respond quickly to situations before they escalate to violent conflicts.

Many displaced persons had already returned for this year’s farming season and are continuing to receive government support through the Ministry of Agriculture.

It is time for all to return. This is possible with the kind of support being received from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the fight against insecurity and the Commissioner of Police’ grassroots community engagement initiatives and the support from the general public.

With the Inspector-General of Police taking first-hand lessons from not just the governor and the state police command but also from victims and community leaders, it is envisaged that very decisive measures would be taken expeditiously. More so, the IGP’s visit was prompted by the recent wave of violent incidents in the state.

He has one reassuring commitment: “the Nigeria Police Force is determined to end the attacks.”

Having engaged stakeholders during the town hall meeting on practical measures to improve security, the IGP assured the people that the police, in collaboration with other security agencies, would no longer tolerate the continuing violence, pledging to sustain operational visits to the state until lasting peace is restored.

His lieutenant, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Mobile Police Force, AIG Francis Iduh, said they had already mapped out the flashpoints for a 14-day special operation aimed at restoring peace and appealed for the support of the Benue State Government to ensure its success.

The Tor Tiv, His Royal Majesty Prof. James Ayatse assured the police of the support of the traditional institution, expressing confidence that the IGP’s visit signalled a renewed commitment by security agencies to tackle insecurity comprehensively.

Also, the Och’Idoma, His Royal Majesty Dr. John Elaigwu Odogbo urged the police to remain sincere and resolute in addressing the security challenges not only in Benue but across the country.

From the religious circle, the state Vice Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Jonathan Ugbede, called for sustained dialogue between the police and communities to strengthen intelligence gathering, while the state Chairman of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Garba Baba, pledged the support of the Muslim community for all genuine peace initiatives, while the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Mobilisation and Illegal Levies, Mr. Terver Gbenda assured that the youths were ready to partner with security agencies in promoting peace across the state.

These are not merely the words of those in power, but also those affected, who are ready to support directly, mobilise others and push down inhibitions to ensure the return of peace and stability across Benue State.

– Bridget Tikyaa,Is the Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Media,  Publicity and Communications Strategy