IGP Disu to Benue youths: Reject political violence, as police launch 14-day offensive against criminals

By Benedicta Aboh

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, on Thursday declared that the Federal Government would no longer tolerate the persistent killings and violent attacks in Benue State, announcing a 14-day security operation to reclaim communities from armed herders, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements.

Disu, who spoke at a town hall meeting with stakeholders in Makurdi, said the worsening insecurity had become a nightmare for both residents and security agencies, assuring the people that President Bola Tinubu had directed security operatives to restore lasting peace to the state.

He lamented that Benue, once celebrated as one of Nigeria's most peaceful and hospitable states, had become a theatre of bloodshed, stressing that the crisis had grown beyond the traditional farmer-herder conflict.

"The insecurity in Benue is unacceptable. It has become a source of sleepless nights for everyone. This violence has gone beyond farmer-herder clashes. Criminal gangs, kidnappers and other vested interests have worsened the situation. Mr. President has directed that this must stop," the IGP said.

The police chief urged young people to resist being recruited by politicians and other influential persons to foment trouble, particularly during elections, warning that youths often end up as the biggest victims of violence.

He also warned that the Nigeria Police Force would intensify the crackdown on illegal arms, insisting that only authorised security personnel had the legal right to carry firearms.

"Don't allow yourselves to be used to destroy your communities. The cycle of attacks and reprisals must end. We will continue to pursue those carrying illegal weapons because only security agencies are authorised to bear arms," he stated.

Disu acknowledged concerns over police performance but maintained that Nigerian security personnel remained among the best globally, adding that the force was committed to improving professionalism and investigating complaints against erring officers.

He directed the Benue State Commissioner of Police to make his telephone contacts public to encourage residents to report crimes and police misconduct, insisting that effective policing depends on community partnership.

Promising sustained engagement with the state, the IGP said, "I will keep coming to Benue until we achieve lasting peace."
Earlier, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Police Mobile Force, Francis Iduh, disclosed that security agencies had mapped out 14 major flashpoints across Benue for a special two-week operation.

He listed Bajimba, Arufu, Agasha, Kwande, Agatu, Naka, Otukpo, Makurdi, Apa and other vulnerable communities as areas where intensive surveillance, clearance patrols and security operations would be carried out.

"Our mission is to reclaim forests, farmlands and criminal hideouts. We are after criminals, including armed herders and bandits, not innocent citizens. With credible information from communities, we will deal decisively with criminal elements," Iduh said.

Governor Hyacinth Alia described the IGP's visit as a strong demonstration of the Federal Government's commitment to ending insecurity in Benue.

According to the governor, the continued attacks on farming communities have not only claimed many lives but also threatened food production and national food security.

He said his administration had consistently provided operational vehicles, motorcycles, communication gadgets and other logistics to security agencies and pledged full support for the proposed 14-day operation.

Alia also renewed his call for the establishment of state police, arguing that security personnel familiar with the local terrain and communities would be more effective in combating crime.

The Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, attributed the security crisis to armed criminal herders invading from neighbouring Nasarawa State, indigenous criminal gangs, cult groups and communal disputes.

He expressed concern that attacks often occurred despite prior intelligence, alleging that some political actors could be benefiting from the violence and urging security agencies to investigate those behind the attacks.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Benue State chapter of Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Garba Baba, declared that Muslims in the state remained committed to peaceful coexistence and supported Governor Alia's peace initiatives.

The state Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Jonathan Terwase Ugbede, commended President Tinubu, the First Lady and the IGP for their concern over Benue's plight and urged security agencies to respond swiftly to intelligence, particularly threats circulated on social media.

Stakeholders at the meeting unanimously agreed that insecurity in Benue had become multidimensional, involving armed herders, kidnappers, cultists, criminal gangs and alleged political sponsors, and resolved to strengthen collaboration with security agencies to restore lasting peace across the state.