State Policing Key to Ending Herdsmen Violence in Benue, Governor Alia Tells President Tinubu

 

Governor Alia Pushes for State Police as Herdsmen Killings Shake Benue Again

A renewed call for the creation of state police has emerged from Benue State, where Governor Hyacinth Alia passionately pressed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to approve this long-debated security reform. This plea follows yet another wave of bloodshed that claimed the lives of over 200 people in different communities across the state.

President Tinubu visited Makurdi on Wednesday, where he met with survivors and families of the victims. The emotional trip was part of a condolence tour, as Benue reels from what officials have described as one of the worst episodes of violence linked to suspected Fulani herdsmen in recent months.

Governor Alia, addressing the President during his visit, did not mince words. He expressed the urgency of state-driven law enforcement in tackling what has become a cyclical tragedy. According to him, allowing each state to establish and operate its own police system would provide a more direct, efficient, and community-rooted response to insecurity.

“Let me also reiterate my firm support for the establishment of state police as a sustainable solution to the persistent insecurity in our state and perhaps elsewhere,” the governor declared. His words resonated strongly, capturing the attention of federal officials and local stakeholders alike.

Rather than frame state policing as a politically divisive issue, Alia presented it as a practical and necessary shift. He acknowledged potential concerns about abuse of power or lack of oversight but emphasized that the federal government could and should mitigate these risks through comprehensive regulatory frameworks and tailored guidelines for each state.

Security in Benue has long been a flashpoint in Nigeria’s national discourse. The state, located in the North Central region, is rich in agricultural land, making it a hotspot for clashes between farmers and nomadic herders. These confrontations have escalated into full-scale attacks over the past decade, leaving thousands dead and many more displaced.

Efforts by the federal security apparatus to quell the unrest have yielded limited results. Many residents claim that the federal police are overstretched and lack the local intelligence to respond effectively. It is against this backdrop that Governor Alia believes state police would be more nimble and accountable to local needs.

During the president’s visit, survivors of the recent massacre shared harrowing stories. Entire families were wiped out. Villages were razed. Livelihoods destroyed. As the death toll continues to rise, so too does public anger and frustration over what many perceive as governmental inaction or inadequate response.

Local leaders, traditional rulers, and civil society groups who met with President Tinubu echoed Alia’s sentiments. They noted that central control of security in a country as vast and diverse as Nigeria has become an impediment rather than a safeguard.

President Tinubu, while acknowledging the pain and loss suffered by Benue’s people, pledged to intensify the federal government’s response to the attacks. He also expressed openness to reviewing the current policing structure, hinting that conversations around security reform, including the creation of state police, may soon take center stage in national policy debates.

The visit marked the president’s first official trip to Benue since assuming office, and his interactions with local residents signaled a willingness to listen. Still, many await action over words. For Governor Alia, the stakes are too high to delay.

State police, he argued, would not only act as a deterrent to those who see the current system as weak or exploitable but also empower communities to take part in protecting themselves within a regulated framework.

As funerals continue and the state mourns, one question hangs in the air—how many more lives must be lost before decisive, structural action is taken?

The people of Benue are not just asking for sympathy—they are demanding systemic change. Governor Alia has drawn a clear line in the sand: the time for federal monopoly on policing, he insists, must give way to a more decentralized, locally responsive solution.

Whether that vision becomes reality now lies in the hands of the federal government—and the political will of the President.