Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia has assured residents of the state that insecurity is being brought under control with visible progress in restoring peace and stability.
Alia, speaking after a meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima, highlighted the government’s efforts to address the dual challenges of insecurity and food production in the state.
“Insecurity is gradually dying out in Benue,” the governor stated. “It’s a given that insecurities never go away 100%, but we’ve seen significant progress. You hardly hear of major disturbances or large-scale incidents anymore, and relative peace is returning.”
Alia attributed the security improvement to targeted investments in security infrastructure.
“Just a few weeks ago, we launched support for all our security apparatus. We provided 100 Toyota trucks to security groupings across the state and enhanced support for mainstream security operations,” he said.
The governor also emphasised the role of community vigilance in supporting primary security efforts, noting that residents are now more engaged in ensuring safety in their localities.
He further noted that the renewed peace has led to a significant revival of farming activities in the state, with many residents returning to their farms after years of insecurity.
“With increased security, the level of farming has also gone up. This season, we had a bumper harvest, something we haven’t experienced in many years,” Governor Alia noted.
He praised the federal government, particularly President Bola Tinubu for the unwavering support in addressing security challenges and promoting agricultural development.
While acknowledging that some minor skirmishes may still occur, Governor Alia expressed confidence in Benue’s trajectory toward sustained peace and economic recovery.
He added that as an agrarian state, Benue State has intensified efforts to get the people back to the farms.
Governor recalled that the Vice President during the campaigns then as a candidate, promised support to the state with tractors and farm inputs.
“He has been delivering on those promises, just like President Bola Tinubu, who is committed to helping us live up to our name as the food basket of the nation,” Alia said.
He further lauded the administration’s backing, stating that it has enabled Benue to combat food insecurity while also assisting other states grappling with similar challenges.
“This year, we are going back to the farms 100%. Benue should not be talking about food insecurity; instead, we should be supporting other states facing these issues,” he added.
