Amid the incessant killings and kidnapping in Benue State, Terrence Kuanum, the Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has strongly dismissed insinuations that the Federal Government plans to declare a state of emergency in the State.
Speaking during an appearance on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Wednesday, Kuanum described the rumours as a calculated attempt to distract from the real issue of growing insecurity in the state, which he blamed squarely on Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration.
According to Kuanum, the government of Governor Alia has failed to tackle the security crisis in the state, particularly the persistent attacks on communities by armed herders.
“Unfortunately, we have such a serious problem on our hands, and instead of the state government being on top of it to resolve the issue, they are busy playing politics with the lives of our people,” Kuanum said.
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He insisted that there is no interest from the Federal Government in declaring a state of emergency in Benue. “Nobody is interested in a state of emergency in Benue. If you recall, this is not the first time the state has gone through attacks,” he said.
Kuanum praised the efforts of the immediate past administration in Benue, noting that they enforced anti-open grazing laws and maintained relative peace through the operations of the Livestock Guards. He criticised the current administration for scrapping these measures.
“By the time the government was leaving in 2023, no herder was roaming the streets of Benue. But when they came in, instead of consolidating on the gains of the immediate past administration, they repealed the law that had brought peace to Benue people,” he stated.
He further alleged that trucks previously used to transport confiscated livestock have now been converted for commercial use under the current government, weakening the state’s ability to enforce any form of livestock regulation.
Highlighting the continuous killings across communities in the state, Kuanum called on the Benue State Government to convene an inclusive dialogue to address the worsening security situation.
“Benue State is not looking for a state of emergency; the narrative is a distraction not to address this issue,” he concluded.
The statement adds to the growing tension between political camps in Benue as insecurity continues to escalate, with numerous communities reporting attacks and casualties in recent weeks.
