The Benue State Government has declared that no person can stop security agencies from exercising their constitutional responsibility of investigating criminality, stressing that the culpability or innocence can only be established by diligent investigation.
This was as it said that the idea of generating frivolous petitions to blackmail constituted authorities to shield suspects of crime is unacceptable, adding that even the President Muhammadu Buhari frowns at the brewing security challenges within the country.
It specifically said that the State Community Volunteer Guards are not under the control of any Local Government and have not in any way been used to witch-hunt political enemies if any as alleged by a human rights group.
The Benue State Government which stated these while reacting to media reports credited to a group on the aegis of ‘Benue Coalition on Human Rights’ which allegedly petitioned the Presidency and security agencies to investigate the activities of the State Community Volunteer Guards being used to hunt political enemies, particularly by the Chairman of Ado Local Government, said the sponsored allegation is false, misleading and a desperate attempt to smear the character and essence of the Community Volunteer Guards.
The State Government therefore warned those in the lifestyle of blackmail to desist forthwith from playing politics with issues bothering on security.
These were contained in a statement by the Special Adviser on Security Matters to the Benue State Governor, Lt. Col Paul Hemba (rtd), in which he also said that it is trite to state unequivocally that the State Community Volunteer Guards is a formation of law, the establishment which began with the approval of the State Security Council, duly passed into law by the State House of Assembly and assented to by the State Governor.
Hemba explained that the modus operandi of the Guards allowed them to assist conventional security agencies in combating criminality as they are not under the control and caprice of local government Chairmen.
He further said; “There is no doubt that some Local Government Areas, particularly Ado Local Government has in recent times suffered a plethora of security challenges leading to the death of many and the destruction of properties worth hundreds of million naira.
“Most recently and specifically, on the 8th and 9th of November, 2022, over 30 persons were killed in communities within Ado Local Government, a tragedy that prompted all security agencies to undertake a manhunt on the culprits; in the course of which suspects were arrested and handed over to the police.
“Those arrested and handed over to the police should cooperate with the police in the course of investigation which will establish their innocence or the contrary.
“It is unreasonable and unfathomable to ever imagine that the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards painstakingly established and sustained by the Benue State Government will be for the mere purpose of hunting political enemies.
“The identity of the persons arrested in connection with the distateful crime committed in Ado Local Government does not reveal anything spectacular so as to entitle them to political witch-hunt or enmity,” Hemba said.
He also said that on no account would Governor Samuel Ortom descend so low as to mastermind the arrest of political opponents or expend state resources for the establishment of the Guards to go after political enemies.
He therefore reaffirmed the commitment of the State Government to fighting criminality, stressing that it would not, under any guise be blackmailed or stampeded into giving a deaf ear to issues of insecurity as they affect the welfare of the people of the State.
He further said; “We wish to also state unequivocally that the Benue State Volunteer Guards are not immuned to the law. If any of them is involved in any infraction, they will be prosecuted by the Police according to the law”.
