Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has said that the state is now contemplating a security outfit modelled after Amotekun, the South-West regional outfit, to combat security challenges of the state.
Governor Ortom who disclosed this during an interview with newsmen in Makurdi, decried the security challenges confronting the state which is mostly characterized with herdsmen invasion and land disputes internally.
He said,
“This is a very difficult time for us. It is a trying time for the entire people of Benue State. We are faced with the challenge of inter-communal clashes all over the place because the rainy season is gradually setting in and preparation for the farming season has started.
“So, it is quite disheartening because the entire state is challenged by these constant disagreements over land and that is what we are witnessing at the moment.
“And then, the external aggression coming from the armed herdsmen has not stopped. They have adopted guerrilla warfare tactics. They come without cattle, kill, burn down houses and withdraw.
“After that, they move to the next village to do the same thing. This has continued but we have discussed with our security personnel and we are moving and closing in on them.
“So the tension is there but we are not sleeping and by the grace of God, we shall overcome.
The governor stated that there was an undeniable need to establish a security outfit within the state to complement the existing conventional security system.
“So the security situation in the state will require more personnel and equipment to be deployed and more funding. As I talk to you now, they cannot be everywhere and that is why I talked about being overstretched and being inadequate to take care of the magnitude of the problems that we have.
‘So, I think every other region is planning their security outfit. We are also going to meet very soon at our own regional level. But I can assure you that there will be a need for Benue State too to provide a security outfit that will compliment what the conventional security personnel are doing.
“As Benue State governor, I think there is a need to have something in place that will collaborate and complement what the current security personnel are doing because they are grossly inadequate.
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“How can an entire local government area like Guma have less than 50 policemen? Even other LGAs in the state have less that number. So this is the challenge,” the governor concluded.