Benue bans protest in attacked council area

The Benue State Government has banned any form of protest in the entire Sankera axis of the North-East Senatorial District of the state.

The decision was taken at the State Security Council held at the Government House, Makurdi.

The State Security Council also approved the creation of a Bureau of Homeland Security to coordinate and liaise between the office of the governor and the security agencies for immediate responses on security matters in the state.

Furthermore, the council directed that the curfew in the entire Sankera area of the state should continue until further notice.

The state governor, Hyacinth Alia, who was represented by his deputy, Sam Ode, disclosed this after a joint security meeting, noting that the new bureau will be headed by a Director General to be appointed by him.

He said, “On the recent attacks in Ukum Local Government Area, the Security Council directed that the curfew in the entire Sankera area of the state should continue. It further places a ban on protest in the entire axis until further notice.”

Sankera axis, which comprises three local government areas, Ukum, Katsina-Ala and Logo, has been a flashpoint of criminality in the state for years.

The latest crisis that rocked one of the LGAs from the axis, precisely Ukum LGA, was the violent protest that led to destruction of personal and government properties.

Governor Alia said three soldiers and two policemen were injured while keeping peace during the violent protest in which 11 people were killed at Ayati community in the troubled Ukum LGA.

The governor added that the Security Council also agreed that a Judicial Panel of Inquiry should be set up by the government to look into the destruction of public and private properties in Ukum as a result of the recent protest in the area.

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