Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has urged all tiers of government and community structures across Nigeria to adopt coordinated approaches to tackling insecurity, warning that military deployments alone cannot deliver lasting peace. He made the remarks on Thursday at the New Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi, while delivering a welcome address at the North-Central Regional Security Summit.
The one-day meeting brought together governors, security chiefs, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders from across the North Central zone. The summit was convened by the Ministry of Defence in partnership with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, according to a statement issued by Sir Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Alia.
Alia Cites Benue-Plateau Axis Violence
Governor Alia said he personally sought to host the summit in Benue because of the persistent violence along the Benue-Plateau axis. He argued that the state sits at the centre of one of the region's most troubled security corridors. The governor stressed that durable solutions require engaging traditional rulers, border communities, and local networks that often detect threats before security agencies do.
“The moment we set aside our differences to confront the enemy of insecurity, half the battle is already won,” Alia said. He added that collaboration must translate into practical action that reaches the custodians of the land.
Poverty and Idleness Fuel Criminal Recruitment
Alia also called attention to the socio-economic roots of crime, arguing that poverty and idleness continue to fuel recruitment into criminal networks. He said any effective response must address these underlying conditions alongside improved intelligence-sharing and community engagement.
Framing the North Central zone's stability as a matter of national concern, Alia pointed to the region's role as a key source of food and mineral resources. “When the North Central is insecure, it is not only our problem; the whole country feels it on its dining table,” he said.
Summit Aims to Localise Security Responses
The organisers described the summit as a deliberate effort to localise security responses to banditry, farmer-herder clashes, kidnappings, violent extremist spillovers, and organised crime across the zone. Governor Alia urged delegates to move beyond speeches and ensure the summit produces institutional outcomes that can survive changes in administration.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's commitment to tackling insecurity and called on all participants to align with the summit's operational recommendations.
In a related development, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke conducted separate operations across Benue State on August 19, 2026. A suspected bandit known as 'Cool Nigg@' was killed during a firefight along the Jortar–Atume axis in Ukum LGA. Two suspects arrested in Logo LGA reportedly confessed to a planned kidnapping, and troops recovered a pistol, phones, and charms.
Meanwhile, armed invaders struck two communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, leaving at least 15 people dead. The Efeyi-Ugboju attack lasted over four hours from 5am on Tuesday, with locals saying the death toll could still rise. Otukpo LGA Chairman Maxwell Ogiri confirmed 14 bodies recovered and called on the government to enforce the anti-open grazing law.
