..vows punishment for masterminds
By Peter Duru, Makurdi
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has ordered a full-scale investigation into the recent violent protest in Naka the Gwer West Local Government, LGA, Headquarters that led to the burning down of the Local Government Secretariat, the palace of the monarch of the area and several properties belonging to prominent indigenes of the LGA.
Irate youths on March 11, 2025, staged a violent protest in Naka over the alleged murder of three members of the Civil Protection Guards by suspected armed herdsmen.
The angry mob also razed other properties in the town including the hotel belonging to the lawmaker representing Benue North West District in the Senate, Senator Titus Zam among others.
The Governor announced the formation of an investigative panel to probe the incident when he visited Naka to have first-hand information on the crisis and also assess the extent of the destruction in the town.
Condemning the act of the protesters, the governor urged residents to trust his administration’s efforts to curb the security crisis in the state assuring the people that the government was working tirelessly to restore peace and prevent further violence.
He however issued a stern warning to any members of the community found to be collaborating with external aggressors, emphasizing that “the law would take its full course against those involved in such acts.”
Ealier, the Ter-Tyoshin, Chief Daniel Abomtse, described the attack on his palace as a deliberate and well-coordinated act of sabotage, alleging that certain individuals had taken advantage of the protests to execute a criminal agenda aimed at discrediting the government.
The traditional ruler expressed doubt that the attack was a genuine protest, pointing out that “the protesters did not carry placards nor present grievances in a conventional manner.”
Chief Abomtse thanked Governor Alia for his visit and urged the government to identify and punish the perpetrators.
Additionally, Christiana Gbagbul, a staff of Gwer West Local Government, and Nyiuma Nicholas, the Commander of the Benue State Civil Protection Guard in the area, called for the redeployment of the military personnel posted to the area, noting that internal security matters should be left to the police who were conversant with the terrain.
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