News Editor
From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun and the The Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa on Monday visited Benue state following the killing of over 200 innocent residents by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen militia.
Upon his arrival in Benue State, the IGP visited the State Government House, where he commiserated with the State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, and the people of the state over the incident.
The IGP who condemned the attacks, said the killings was not only senseless but an act of terrorism and attack on the sovereignty and integrity of the nation.
The IGP who noted that the force has commenced adequate security deployment to the state said the police would ensure that the perpetrators of the heinous crimes pay
“We are in the state to commiserate with you on the sad incident of the tragic attack on Yelwata community in the state, to assure you of our commitment to pursue the criminal elements and bring them to justice and bring lasting peace to Benue state.”
“These mindless acts of terror are not just attacks on Benue people but they are attacks on the sovereignty and integrity of Nation. An attack on any community of Nigeria is an attack on the entire nation.
“I want to assure you that the Nigerian Police Force will stand with you and the entire people of Benue state on this. We are going to work closely with you and in close synergy with other security agencies to ensure that lasting peace return to Benue state.
“We are aware of the vast terrain of Benue state and the security challenges it presents. We might not be able to cover every inch of the place but we are going to deploy adequately to ensure the protection lives and property in Benue.”
The IGP who noted that the criminal elements and bandits might have operated with impunity in the past assured that “a day is fast approaching when they would come to attack but would never return. That day is fast approaching and I can assure you that we would continue to protect lives and property in the state.”
He pledged to support the state with every resources and to synergize with other security agencies “to make sure that we defeat this evil.”
The Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa described the Saturday attacks as “one killing, too many.”
He solicited for the support of all to enable them tackle the insurgents saying they would not wait for them to attack again rather they would take the battle to them.
He said “we are going to address this. From here I’m going to see my commanders, we are going to change our strategies, to look inwards and see how we can address this.
“We cannot do it alone without the community. We need everybody to be part of it. We understand that even before now we used to have, even within us, people that used to compromise and give out information.
“Going round, If you see the way some of the burnings were made, you know that they were targeted. It shows they have insiders. We have discussed with the communities, the traditional rulers and with the clergy for us to work united.
“There may be issues of trust and that we are going to address. For us we want this to be the last that would happen. We will go all out to ensure we address it. We are putting measures in other places and it has worked, it’s not going to be different here in Benue.”
He assured Nigerians and Benue state that the security agencies are determined, based on the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to restore peace and tranquility within the country.
“But we need Nigerians to support us. We must work together as a team. We always have information that these people are coming from across borders. Wherever they are coming from, we are going to go after them.
“We must take the battle to them, we must not wait for them to attack and that is what I think it is very critical that tomorrow we also want to proceed to Nasarawa state government because the borders are actually very critical to the success of what we are doing”
He urged the youths not to give up saying “this is our country, we can never never give up our country for anything. And this madness must stop.”
In his response, Governor Hyacinth Alia appreciated both the IGP ND the Chief of Defense Staff for responding promptly to visit and commiserate with the state.
Alia told them that said “The carnage that took place over the weekend, again was a senseless one. There was no cause for such bloodbath.
“We are bleeding, we are in sorrow. I believe your visit is going to uplift our spirits and build within us formidable assurance of the fact that we are not alone but that you will be there for us.”
Governor Alia explained that through hard work, his administration has trimmed down the spate of attacks from 17 LGs which were in frontline of attack to nine Local Governments and later to six lamenting that there have been an upsurge of attacks recently the state has not rested in the last two months.
He expressed confidence that once the victims feel their presence, it will rekindle a hope in them that with all hands on deck we would become victorious and the sorrowful narrative we share today would become a thing of the past.”
