Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has made a report about indigenous bandits who terrorise the Sankera axis of the State who have refused efforts to rehabilitate them.
While examining the bandit activities in the Sankera axis, which includes the LGAs of Ukum, Katsina-Ala, and Logo, the governor made this declaration on Sunday in Makurdi.
The Sankera axis has continued to be a centre of criminal activity over the years, and the military’s 2020 assassination of the axis’s kingpin, Terwase Akwaza, also known as Gana, made matters worse by causing his former associates to form rival organisations.
The State’s Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Matthew Abo, stated that the bandits have refused all requests to negotiate a peaceful settlement with the government.
The State Government was accused by the bandits of betrayal for not keeping its word and not granting them amnesty.
Speaking on the issue, the Governor claimed that although his administration had offered the robbers an olive branch, they had turned it down.
He said, “During my campaign, I told every faceless group in all the zones creating instability in the state to sheathe their swords. A new Government is coming to liberate them and get them out of the bush. They should stop killing their very siblings, and that is what I have been trying to do.
“I offered to sponsor those who wished to go to school, to help them recreate their lives, and for those inclined towards trades, I offered skills training to help them earn a living. We would fund their establishment after acquiring the skills.
“All these measures were to enable them to come out of the bushes and stop destabilising the LGAs and killing their people.”
The Governor was sorry to hear that rival groups had murdered bandits who had accepted the offer and were about to leave the bushes under the pretence of being superior.
“Unfortunately, those who were inclined to come out were attacked and caught in fights for superiority within the bushes,” he added.
In addition, Alia said that certain politicians had supported the bandits, which had made the axis’ instability more difficult to manage.
“For many years, there have been skirmishes and instability in the Ukum area, and most of this instability is not from outsiders. It’s the homegrown bandits who are killing their people and preventing them from going to the farm.
“The so-called Abuja politicians are the ones sponsoring and supporting these bandits.”
Nonetheless, the governor declared that his administration would not back down from its negotiations with the bandits to put down their swords and grant the region peace.
“We cannot stop talking to them. I have extended numerous olive branches to them,” the Governor concluded.
