Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has urged communities in the state to embrace community policing as a long-term solution to the escalating insecurity crisis, rather than resorting to self-defence.
Speaking on AIT’s Kakaaki programme on Tuesday, Governor Alia made the appeal following a series of violent attacks by armed herders that have claimed over 300 lives in recent weeks, particularly in the Yelewata area of the state.
The governor cautioned against communities taking the law into their own hands, warning that such actions could further expose them to danger.
> “When people act based on emotions or sentiments, they may unknowingly render themselves even more vulnerable,” he said. “I would not advocate for self-defence. Instead, I encourage us all to keep calling for community policing, because it is the only viable way forward. Only those from within the local government and communities truly understand what is happening around them.”
Governor Alia reaffirmed his commitment to seeking sustainable security strategies while holding perpetrators accountable for the attacks.