Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, the executive governor of Benue State, has raised the alarm that some indigenes of the state are bringing in herdsmen from neighbouring countries, like the Niger Republic, to destabilise his administration.
The governor made this known on Sunday at the Chapel of Grace, Government House Makurdi, while addressing the people of the state.
According to a statement issued by Principal Special Assistant on Print Media, Donald Kumun and made available to journalists late hours of Sunday, the governor appealed to the people to remain calm, saying that the security agencies would ensure the safety of the people.
Alia revealed that those behind the influx of herdsmen into the state actually wrote a letter inviting them to the state.
The statement said the governor vowed not to tolerate any effort from any quarter aimed at destabilising the state.
He said, “I am quite saddened to speak about what some fellow Benue citizens are doing; what they are planting, planning, and executing, which is not in favour of the state.
“The security report has revealed that some Benue indigenes have gone out of their way to invite herdsmen all the way from the Niger Republic to troop into Benue State. All in the name of bringing down his administration and this is unacceptable, but the security agents are doing their work.
“Security apparatuses are doing their work and anyone found guilty of this will not go unpunished. This is not the Benue we pray for. The electioneering period is over and now is governance.”
The governor vowed that the herdsmen who had come into the state would gradually return to where they came from.
He however called on those who were not ready to join hands with his administration to improve on the development of the state to leave the state.
“Please if you cannot join hands with this administration to improve the state to bring development to the state, where everyone has a sense of belonging, please leave the state.
“I assure the entire citizens that they should remain calm for my administration is not ready to welcome any crisis in the state. Crisis is not the portion of Benue State.
“Security agencies are ready to do everything possible for the people to have peace. The influx of herders will not harm anyone but they will return gradually to where they have come from.
“The mischief makers who wrote a letter inviting herders to come to Benue State will be disappointed. I stand on the platform of new Benue where development of both human and infrastructure development is possible,” Alia added.
The governor appreciated the people of the state for always supporting his administration through prayers and charged them to continue to stand by him and the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
