The fight against insecurity in Benue State has taken a new dimension, with many questioning why the responsibility now seems to rest solely on Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia, rather than being a shared duty between the state and the federal government.
Before Governor Alia’s administration, insecurity in Benue was widely seen as a national issue, with many blaming former President Muhammadu Buhari for allegedly allowing the violence to persist.
Accusations were also directed at then-Minister Senator George Akume, who was criticized for not leveraging his influence to support the former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, in tackling the crisis.
At the time, many felt that Ortom was left to fight alone, with little to no backing from the federal government.
However, under Governor Alia, the narrative appears to have shifted. Now, the fight against insecurity has been reduced to a state matter, with no mention of the President’s role or accusations of neglect against Senator Akume, who has since risen to a more powerful position as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
This shift in perception raises several pressing questions: Are the Fulani of today beyond the control of the federal government? Why is insecurity in Benue now seen as the Governor’s sole responsibility?
Many Benue citizens recall how, during the last elections, some people refused to vote for the PDP candidate simply because he was a Fulani man, believing that electing a non-Fulani President would help fight against what they saw as "enemy number two." Yet, with Alia in office, the expectations of a more aggressive approach to combating insecurity have seemingly faded.
The silence over the federal government’s role in addressing Benue’s security crisis raises deeper concerns about whether the issue is being politically manipulated or if there is a genuine shift in accountability.
With both Alia and Akume now aligned with the ruling APC government at the center, many are left wondering: Has the fight against insecurity in Benue been abandoned, or has the narrative simply changed to suit political interests?