Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has accused “Abuja politicians” of being behind the armed banditry and killings in the Sankera axis of the state, which comprises Katsina-Ala, Ukum, and Logo Local Government Areas (LGAs).

The Governor made the allegation on Sunday after attending a thanksgiving service at the Chapel of Grace, Government House Makurdi.

Alia lamented that the bandits were homegrown and had taken up arms to kill their own people. He was reacting to recent attacks in Sankera that claimed the lives of 24 people in Ukum and Katsina-Ala LGAs, as well as a viral video of bandits threatening to kill more in that area.

The Governor likened the security situation in Sankera to an octopus, stating that it encompasses every form of insecurity that has affected the people of Ukum LGA. He revealed that during his campaign, he had urged the faceless individuals creating instability in the state to sheathe their swords and promised that his government would work to liberate them and stop the killings.

Alia expressed his pain that the instability was not created by invaders or outsiders but by homegrown bandits who kill their own family members and disrupt their livelihoods. He extended olive branches to the bandits, offering to sponsor their education or help them acquire skills and fund their businesses if they surrendered.

However, the Governor claimed that the so-called Abuja politicians are sponsoring and supporting these young men, even attacking those who were inclined to surrender. In response to the Ukum violent protest, the government has set up a Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate the matter, and the Governor assured that the people have been securely protected.