Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has defended the push for state police, saying fears that the system could be abused should not stop Nigeria from adopting what he described as a necessary security reform.
During the Meet-the-Press programme yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Alia said effective monitoring, clear regulations and accountability mechanisms could address concerns about possible abuse by state police.
“I happen to be one of the very early governors to propose and suggest that we go the way of state policing,” he said.
According to him, while the federal police are performing their duties, state police would strengthen intelligence gathering because officers recruited from local communities will understand the terrain and can identify suspicious persons more easily.
“In the yesteryears, when any stranger came to your town or village, you knew the person. It was because we grew up in those areas. That generated a lot of intelligence. When you have people coming from within who understand the terrain better, they even do the work more meticulously,” he said.
Responding to concerns that state police could be abused by state governments, Alia argued that stronger oversight and adherence to established rules would prevent excesses.
“When we have increased monitoring and we have the rules of the game to guide us, I’m very confident that orderliness is going to be the order of the day,” he said.
He added, “We should not fear abuse. If we allow fear to sink us because of abuses, we can check abuses, but we have to make up our minds that we will check abuses.”
The governor likened concerns about state policing to the misuse of politics and social media, saying that abuse should not be used as a reason to abandon policies that serve the public interest.
“Politics is the best form of governance, but people abuse it. When you have your reputation, they try to throw mud at you because of politics. You have to make the hard decisions because that is what leadership requires,” he said.
Alia urged residents to play a more active role in tackling insecurity by volunteering credible intelligence to security agencies, warning that those who remain silent despite knowing criminals operating in their communities become accomplices.
“It’s your duty, it’s my duty, it’s the duty of all stakeholders. You know things within your area. You know those who are not allowing us to have sound sleep. When you don’t say anything, you are also an accomplice. But when you point them out and share information, the bad guys are picked up, they face the law, and peace returns,” he said.
The governor maintained that security in Benue had improved considerably under his administration, noting that the state had established a Civil Protection Guard, a joint task force known as Ayamyor, and community vigilante groups to complement conventional security agencies.
He said the state had also acquired 120 Hilux vehicles and more than 620 motorcycles for security agencies to improve their operational capacity, while technology and intelligence gathering had enhanced proactive responses to security threats.
The governor said the improved security had enabled displaced persons to begin returning to their communities and farms, reversing years of disruption caused by insecurity.
Alia said the state government introduced special farming programmes for internally displaced women, providing tractors, seedlings, and other farm inputs, allowing them to cultivate cooperative farms and earn income instead of relying solely on humanitarian assistance.
He explained that security personnel initially accompanied the women to their farms until conditions became safe enough for them to farm independently, adding that the arrangement had encouraged many displaced persons to voluntarily return home.
The governor also highlighted broader gains from the Federal Government’s economic reforms, which he credited with increasing allocations to states and improving Benue’s fiscal position.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as courageous economic reforms, saying the increased revenues had enabled the state to invest in infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture and security.
According to Alia, the improved financial position allowed his administration to clear outstanding salary and pension arrears inherited from previous administrations, while expanding internally generated revenue to sustain prompt payments.
He said the state had embarked on extensive road construction and rehabilitation, reconstructed schools across the 23 local government areas and revived primary healthcare services.
The governor added that the administration was reviving moribund industries, including Food Basket Breweries, Bensona Juice and Concentrate Factory, while nearing the resuscitation of Taraku Mills after resolving legal disputes surrounding the facility.
On agriculture, Alia said Benue had sustained the distribution of free and subsidised farm inputs, including fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides, while making tractors available at subsidised rates to encourage commercial farming.
He noted that increased security had encouraged more farmers to return to their farms, leading to higher agricultural output and supporting efforts to tackle inflation and the rising cost of living.
The governor said the state had also subsidised motorcycles for commercial riders and continued to invest in infrastructure and other interventions to ease economic hardship.
Alia further expressed support for local government autonomy, describing it as beneficial to governance and service delivery.
He said local government councils in Benue had begun declaring emergencies on road infrastructure and executing projects independently, while his role had shifted largely to supervision and accountability.
“I have less headaches. All I do is supervision. I receive the reports, cross-check what they have done and ensure resources are properly utilised. Once you have the right people in those places, the system works seamlessly,” he said.
He encouraged other states to embrace local government autonomy, insisting that it had improved accountability and project delivery in Benue.
