In a dramatic display of alleged dishonesty, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has come under fire for what critics are calling a façade surrounding the launch of the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPG), also known as “Anyam Nyor.” During an event at IBB Square, Makurdi on December 14, Governor Alia claimed to be inaugurating 5,000 officers and announced the donation of 100 Hilux vehicles and 600 motorcycles to bolster state security efforts.
However, investigations by the Benue Watchdog Coalition (BWC) suggest that the event was little more than a staged performance aimed at deceiving the public. Sources reveal that the Hilux vehicles showcased were rented and promptly returned after the ceremony, raising questions about the legitimacy of the government’s security initiatives. Furthermore, while Alia claimed to have assembled 5,000 guards, reports indicate that only around 200 individuals, outfitted in substandard uniforms, actually participated in the parade.
The situation took an even more bizarre turn when Governor Alia abruptly exited the podium, allegedly to take a personal break, only to return with a fabricated story about receiving a congratulatory call from President Bola Tinubu. Insider accounts confirm that no such call was made, leading critics to speculate about Alia’s desperation to impress.
Adding to the controversy, many of the personnel displayed at the event were identified as members of the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards, a group originally established by former Governor Samuel Ortom in 2022. Alia’s administration has previously threatened to disband these guards, displaying a marked disdain for Ortom’s legacy.
The BWC applauded Ortom for his foresight in addressing the state’s security challenges and criticized Alia for failing to acknowledge the previous administration’s contributions. They argue that Alia’s actions are driven by vendetta against Ortom, fueled by greed and a disregard for due process.
The event was further scrutinized for the presence of numerous prominent Fulani guests, including governors and political figures who opposed Ortom’s anti-open grazing policies. Observers noted that these attendees appeared to celebrate Alia’s apparent abandonment of the Open Grazing Prohibition Law, a move seen as aligning with the interests of the Fulani community.
As questions swirl around the legitimacy and motives behind the launch, the BWC has cautioned Governor Alia to reconsider his alliances and prioritize the welfare of Benue State over political ambitions.
Titus Hilejime, President of the BWC, condemned the event as a “show of shame” and called for a reevaluation of Alia’s approach to governance, urging him to distance himself from factions deemed detrimental to the state’s interests.
The repercussions of this controversial launch remain to be seen as the political landscape in Benue continues to evolve in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.
The statement reads in parts:
“The selected personnel that were taken to IBB Square yesterday were actually members of the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards who were recruited, trained and officially inaugurated by Governor Samuel Ortom in two batches made up of 500 in the first batch and 1,500 in the 2nd batch in 2022. Owing to his hatred for Ortom and the desperation to destroy the legacy of his predecessor, Alia demonized and threatened to disband the guards when he took over. He treated the group and the Livestock Guards as outcasts. But the same Volunteer Guards have today become the rejected corner stone.
“We congratulate the former Governor Chief Samuel Ortom for his vision to see the future and find a solution to the persistent security challenges facing Benue State. If Alia were a good man, he would have borrowed a leaf from Ortom who had publicly given credit to former Governor of the state, Senator George Akume for enacting the law for the establishment of a security outfit for the state in the year 2000 which he Governor Ortom came to implement, amending the law to suit the current security realities and establishing the security organization which the law had provided for.
“If not for vendetta, greed, corruption and outright disregard for due process, Alia had no basis to lay any claim for setting up a new security organization. He would simply have acknowledged his predecessor but heavens wouldn’t have fallen.
“In all of these, we blame the Tor Tiv, Prof James Ayatse who should have told Governor Alia the home truth to stop him from putting up that show of shame yesterday. Sadly, the same Tor Tiv who, in 2022, admitted publicly with praises for Governor Ortom that the traditional rulers under his leadership were in charge of recruiting the Volunteer Guards, yesterday said he was witnessing the launch of a security outfit in the state for the first time.
“We observed another angle to the event at IBB Square yesterday. Majority of prominent guests that Governor Alia invited for the “launch” of his security outfit were Fulani people. From Governors of Gombe and that of Nasarawa to APC National Chairman, Umar Ganduje and several others, the guests were the very people who strongly opposed Ortom’s anti open grazing policies. But yesterday, you could see their enthusiasm and excitement. They were full of praises on Governor Alia for abandoning the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law which was a thorn in the flesh of terrorist Fulani gangs. They are happy now that a man they sponsored to power is doing their bidding as he promised them.
“The questions several people were asking are: Has any other state invited those elements, for purposes like the launch of a security organization? What is their business with the internal affairs of Benue State?
“We suspect that the security outfit that Governor Alia assembled yesterday is a weaponized group for his 2nd term ambition in 2027. His sponsors, the Fulanis, were on hand again to reassure him of their unflinching support, as long as he remains loyal to them.
“We caution Governor Alia to retrace his steps and sue for divorce from enemies of our state before it is too late!” the group stated.