Press Conference by the Coalition of Sankera Elites (CSE) Highlights Grim Reality of Security Crisis in Benue
By Christian Asema
The Coalition of Sankera Elites (CSE) has strongly condemned recent remarks made by Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, following his statement at a thanksgiving event in Ikpayongo, Gwer East Local Government Area, where he claimed that “peace has returned” to Benue, including the Sankera region.
Speaking to a group of journalists in Makurdi, members of the CSE, which represents influential stakeholders from the Sankera region, described Governor Alia’s statements as “insensitive,” “insulting,” and a “mockery” to the people of Sankera. The region, they emphasized, has been left defenseless against ongoing militia attacks and banditry, leaving communities devastated and displaced.
The CSE provided chilling statistics and personal testimonies, outlining the dire security situation in the Sankera area, which encompasses parts of Katsina-Ala, Ukum, Kwande, and Logo local governments. They detailed the continuous attacks on villages by armed herdsmen and bandits, with hundreds of lives lost and thousands displaced since Alia’s administration took office.
Key incidents cited include the mass killing of over 50 people in Akpuuna, Ukum, on July 10, 2023, the March 9, 2024, attack in Gbagir that left 68 dead, and the August 11, 2024, massacre in Ayati, Ukum, which claimed 37 lives. Additional attacks in Logo and Katsina Ala local governments were also highlighted, with more than 200 people reported killed in 2024 alone.
The CSE criticized the Governor for failing to visit the sites of the attacks, neglecting to deploy security forces, and refusing to provide adequate support for internally displaced persons (IDPs). The state, which is known as the food basket of Nigeria, is facing a severe food security crisis as farmers are unable to access their lands due to constant attacks. The coalition pointed out that while other states have received federal aid and attention, Sankera has been entirely neglected by the state government.
The Coalition is now calling for immediate intervention from the federal government, including the deployment of security forces to dislodge the herdsmen occupying Sankera’s ancestral lands. They are also demanding the establishment of a military barracks in the region to provide security for the people and allow them to return to their farms. Additionally, they have called for the completion of the Police Mobile barracks in Anyiin, Logo Local Government, and for the federal government to take direct action in providing relief materials to the displaced population, bypassing the state government agencies that have failed to assist.
“We can no longer suffer in silence as the governor continues to make false claims about the peace in our state while our people die, starve, and live in constant fear,” said a representative of the CSE during the press conference.
The Coalition urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take immediate action, highlighting the urgency of the situation as the farming season approaches and the displaced people of Sankera remain without adequate resources or protection.
The group concluded the press conference with a call for solidarity from the people of Nigeria and international support, pleading for the voices of the Sankera people to be heard.
