The Benue Advocacy Network (BAN) has urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to explain why his administration has not enforced the state’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, accusing him of allowing armed herders to continue violent attacks on rural farming communities.
Speaking to journalists in Makurdi over the weekend, the group’s president, Enoch Ortese, flanked by other members, criticized the governor’s recent media chat, claiming it left the public with more questions than answers regarding the worsening security situation.
BAN expressed concern that the current government had failed to sustain the efforts of the past administration in protecting residents from violent herders.
The group alleged that these armed groups are now freely occupying parts of Benue without any significant resistance from authorities.
They questioned the status of the 2017 anti-open grazing legislation, demanding to know why it appeared abandoned under the current administration while invasions of communities by herders continued unchecked.
The group also raised concerns over transparency, asking the governor to release details of monthly allocations received from the federal government since May 2023.
They further requested a breakdown of how state funds have been spent, including the actual wage bill, especially following the governor’s announcement that several ghost workers had been removed from the payroll.
BAN demanded the publication of the names of so-called ghost schools uncovered by the state, along with those responsible for their operation.
They also called for clarity on the cost of ongoing underpass projects in Makurdi and Gboko, insisting the public deserves proof that these contracts were awarded fairly and legally.
In addition, the group called on the government to reveal the internally generated revenue from May 2023 to date and provide a detailed plan on how it intends to curb the continuing attacks on local communities.
They criticized the administration for expanding camps for displaced persons rather than resettling them as earlier promised within the governor’s first 100 days in office.
BAN also questioned the whereabouts of the 100 vehicles unveiled in December 2023 during the launch of the state’s security outfit, ‘Anyam Nyor’, noting that the vehicles have not been seen in any part of the state despite the increasing insecurity.
Responding to the allegations, Governor Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, dismissed the group’s concerns.
He stated that the administration’s security strategy is carefully designed and gradually yielding results, particularly in volatile border communities with Nasarawa and Taraba states.
Kula noted that while many displaced people remain in camps, this is largely due to the destruction of their homes, not negligence by the government.
He assured that efforts are ongoing to safely return them to their communities, emphasizing that the administration prefers quiet, effective action over political noise.