The lawmaker representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency of Benue State in the House of Representatives, Terseer Ugbor, has attributed the recent surge in insecurity in the state to a lack of synergy among the state’s political leaders. Ugbor, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accused Governor Hyacinth Alia’s administration of engaging in “bad politics” in addressing the security situation.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Ugbor lamented that there has been little engagement between the Benue State Government and members of the National Assembly. He revealed that despite his efforts to reach out to the governor, he has never been invited to discuss security issues affecting his constituency, which experiences high levels of insecurity.
The lawmaker expressed frustration that he and other lawmakers were excluded from stakeholder meetings convened by Governor Alia, including a security committee set up to address insecurity in the state. Ugbor believes this exclusion stems from “bad politics” rather than any substantive reason.
However, Ugbor emphasized that the growing insecurity in Benue State should not be politicized and expressed willingness to work with Governor Alia and other government arms to restore peace. He noted that over 40% of arable land in Benue State has been taken over by armed herdsmen, exacerbating the security crisis.
The recent spike in insecurity has resulted in over 50 deaths, prompting Governor Alia to appeal to the Federal Government for intervention. The governor has condemned the violent attacks and called for increased action from security agencies to stem the killings .
