Paradigm Shift From Propaganda On Security Will Benefit Benue Better – Gov Alia Says

Benue State Governor, Rev Hyacinth Alia has declared that his administration’s plans to protect the state and its people are top notch.

This was he as he said that there is a clear difference when a refined person is in authority, adding that as a priest, he does not engage in propaganda which he considers as far from being a template for governance.

He specifically said that if the Ortom-led government had tackled insecurity with even a fraction of the sense, strategy, and sincerity he (Gov. Alia) has shown, Benue wouldn’t be stuck cleaning up the mess, stressing that trying to pin the consequences of Ortom’s eight years of catastrophic governance on a 23-month-old administration was not only dishonest, but delusional and irresponsible.

Alia therefore said that its package against the aggressors shall gradually unfold without loudmouth, adding that the Benue people shall regain their full liberty to their land.

These were contained in a statement by Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to the Benue State Governor, in which he said that already, the people of the State are witnessing tangible results, as peace is being restored in some conflict-prone communities, bordering Nasarawa State, and some parts, bordering Taraba State.

Kula particularly said that Benue is gradually reintegrating into a broader security ecosystem, adding that a typical example is the peace dialogue in Sankera, a region that was known for crisis for over a decade.

In the words of Kula; “Sankera is currently seeing actors in the conflict return to the table for peace talks. Again, the return of peace in Guma where individuals like Bemshima Ortese, the infamous leader of the sponsored press conference from Umella, Nanev, Mbawa Council Ward, and Aondona Isaka, a participant in the same, from Tse Ansha in Mvaikyor, Nyiev Council Ward of Guma Local Government Area, has allowed residents, including these two former appointees of the previous administration, for the first time in over eight years, to farm rice in their ancestral homes and harvest without fear of herdsmen attacks.

“That alone should be enough to make these politically paid actors grateful to Governor Alia, rather than starring in a pitiful show of shame tagged, ‘a press conference.’

“In Mbabegha, Nzorov Council Ward, home of the former governor Ortom and his later day political apprentice, Utaan, an acclaimed PDP chairmanship aspirant, two burials attended by prominent citizens, were recently conducted peacefully in the area without any fear of attack and disruption by armed herders.

“This is a scenario that would have been unthinkable under their terror-filled watch. But this is now made possible by Governor Alia’s calm but firm security strategy.

“It is also worth clarifying that most of those currently in IDP camps especially in Guma are people whose homes were destroyed. They have remained in camps because they need to rebuild their homes, not because the government has neglected them. Governor Alia’s administration is actively working behind the scenes to ensure their safe and dignified return to their ancestral homes, and that process is ongoing,” he said.

The Benue State government which stated these while responding to what it described as “a mix of dismay and bemusement, a shameless video of a press release featuring the Association of Former Appointees of the last administration, an administration that failed Benue woefully on all fronts, especially in the areas of security and development”, noted that the poorly staged mockery of the collective sensibilities attempted to cast the failed appointees as activists, a feat, it said is far beyond their capacity.

According to Kula; “In the laughable, lengthy, and poorly rehearsed script acted by political juveniles of the retired administration, those actors borrowed the boldness to question the outing of His Excellency, Governor Hyacinth Alia, drawing from the recent media chat held at the Benue Banquet Hall.

“What followed was an embarrassing recital of lies, distortions, and hallucinated grievances by individuals who now play “watchdogs” only because they’ve been permanently locked out of the corridors of power.

“The rainy-day activists, scrambling for relevance, reeled out a litany of distorted and non-existent issues in their fake quest to “vet and checkmate” the Alia administration.

“We will not waste our energy chasing after attention-seeking charlatans banging at the gates of this government in a desperate, staged show of concern. However, for the sake of well-meaning members of the public who may not be fully informed about certain developments, we will briefly address a few points raised in their hollow rant.

“In the press conference, these rented voices, whose sponsorship is not unknown to us raised the sensitive issue of insecurity, alleging amongst other things that Governor Alia has paid little attention to it.

“To set the record straight, unlike the last administration, the current government did not assume office with a mindset rooted in mischief and propaganda. Instead, it has let actions speak louder than words.

“Upon assumption of office, Governor Alia adopted a fresh approach that actively involves key stakeholders, particularly in neighbouring states, considering that many of the reported attacks originate from outside Benue’s borders. His administration has shifted from the isolationist and confrontational stance of the past government, which made Benue a pariah among its neighbors and a sworn enemy of the central government.

“As for the shameful accusation that Governor Alia is “in bed with marauders,” such a claim is as ridiculous as it is malicious and could only be conjured by minds long corrupted by political bitterness.

“We state categorically that what the Governor has done is to pursue a more diplomatic and strategic approach in dealing with this menace. He must not use the loud, ineffective “motor park tactics” the administration they were active participants was known for. Those tactics resolved nothing, but instead, escalated tensions and isolated Benue further from national support.

“The group also attempted to ridicule the current government’s stance on the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, alleging lack of implementation. Yet, the head of the last administration, Gov. Ortom reportedly one of the biggest cow merchants in Benue with over 10,000 cattle cannot show Benue people the location of any functional ranch for his own herd.

“The very man who shouted the loudest about open grazing is neck-deep in the very practice he condemned. This hypocrisy should not be lost on the people.

“Curiously, the resurgence of violence in some parts of the state aligns suspiciously with these sudden coordinated media attacks from the same political actors. One does not need a prophet to see the choreography. Their actions suggest a deliberate plot to sponsor unrest in a bid to discredit the current government.

“These are politicians who have chosen to play politics with the blood and tears of our people, hoping to reduce the Alia administration to the pitiable, wailing theatrics of the “Iorkpem-O” government that wasted eight years of Benue’s destiny occupying space and time.

“On healthcare, another sector they attempted to weaponize, it is laughable that the former appointees under whose watch the Benue State University Teaching Hospital collapsed would now try to speak. Today, thanks to Governor Alia, the Benue State University Teaching Hospital has wiped away the disgraceful footprints left behind by their failed regime.

“Under Governor Alia, Benue State University Teaching Hospital is witnessing the following: A water project delivering over 200 cubic meters daily is nearing completion; An International Cancer Centre is at an advanced stage; A special needs school for autism and related disorders is near completion, there is Massive recruitment of medical and non-medical personnel being carried out to address staffing shortages etc.

“The group of former appointees also criticized the governor for referencing ECOWAS protocols in addressing the herder-farmer crisis. But what they fail to understand is that Governor Alia’s diplomatic strategy grounded in both national and international frameworks is aimed at finding sustainable, long-term solutions that protect farmers, encourage peaceful coexistence, and align with national interests. This is not about scoring cheap political points; it is about building structures for lasting peace.

“Like we said at the beginning, we do not have the luxury of time that idle opposition elements now seem to enjoy. Therefore, we won’t waste further breath responding to every single mis-statement captured in their press release. “The facts are in the public domain for all who seek the truth.

This government is focused on progress, not performances. While they rehearse press releases in rented halls, Governor Alia is restoring dignity, rebuilding systems, and returning Benue to its rightful place,” Kula stressed.