News
Gov. Alia warns ex-govs to stop criticizing his govt, threatens to demolish hotels in Benue
From Attah Ede Makurdi
The Governor of Benue State Hyacinth Alia has warned former governors in the state to stop criticizing his administration without fact.
He threatened to order for immediate demolition of hotels and other residential buildings being used as hideouts for kidnappers and yahoo boys in the State.
He issued the threat while addressing his teeming supporters who came to welcome him at Government House Makurdi, upon his return from United States of America (USA).
The stated that security reports at his disposal, indicated that both kidnappers and yahoo boys have invaded the state and are being harboured by some hotels owners and lords, maintaining that he had already directed security agencies to summon hotels owners for a meeting to warn them.
“Am going to personally meet with hotels owners to tell them to desist from accommodating yahoo boys and kidnappers. The security reports available to me indicated that these things are happening. If we find any kidnappers in any building or hotel, we will destroy such building.
“Some hotels hide or shield some persons who come into the state without clear cut roles. If you know anyone involved in kidnapping, let me know. We are going to establish a phone center to enable you call for prompt action.
“If we discover any kidnapper or armed robber in any hotel or house, we are going to pull it down. We want to do good business in Benue and for people to come, we would not accommodate criminals”, Alia stated.
Speaking about attack on his government by past governors, Rev. Fr Alia told his predecessors to desist from criticising his administration without constructive evidences or fact, saying that they have had their own terms.
He stated that he would not allow anyone to destabilize his administration, stressing that, “I can’t allow anyone whether a former governor or Civil Servant . If you are a former governor and you have nothing to contribute to Benue, shut up. You had your term you went through it, allow the administration to work.
“You did your part and if you are in the state know exactly what you are saying. Criticisms are welcomed but verify your facts and must be constructive because you must know that whatever you say has consequence. If you have served your tenure you cannot stay by the side and destabilize this government’, he said
Governor Alia explained that he along 9 other Governors of the North were invited by USA Peace Institute to chat a way forward on insecurity confronting them.
“Ten Governors were there and a number of things were considered for implementation. Amongst them is how to get back out displaced persons home which is paramount to me.
“I have been away in the last eight days to sell the image of the state and clear it’s battered image. In the past, Benue wasn’t even at the national radar. It’s going to be a place where other states will come to learn, emulate and take back to their states.
“Farmers are getting back to farm in Gwer West, Gwer East, Guma and Makurdi among others are enjoying relative peace. Those;of us at the home front, must do our best. Each person is a security personnel and it must go beyond seeing something and saying something
“Don’t let anybody buy you off to sell your people don’t let anyone cow you to sell off your land. Cooperate with security apparatus to give us their best.The uniform people are here with us and for us. If someone wants to use you to steal cows or to cause mischief, tell them to bring back their children o take part or to be at the from.
“If we get to know of such in any community the person will face the music. Our people cannot settle for less.I’m a man of peace and I’m am poised to bringing peace into the State.
“I don’t want to stop at paying salaries or paying arrears, we have gone ahead to start employment. Whoever has called the Benue youth thugs should withdraw that statement. The youths of the state have suffered in the past and we won’t want anyone to picket them.
“The youths here are concerned about what happens in the state and I want everyone to respect them .They are the backbone of our APC in the state and the party has come to stay in the state.
“There are a lot of things we need to put in place to make our place liveable.
I don’t want to hear anything cultism in Benue. If cultism is your religion practice it silently, don’t disturb anyone with it. But I want to make it clear that cultism has no place in this state. 419, Yahoo Yahoo has no room here. “We want to do good business in Benue and for people to come, we would not accommodate criminals”, Alia maintained.
He urged Benue youths form farm cooperatives, stating that government is making arrangements to get seeds and inputs for the farmers.
The governor explained that his administration is also looking at the processing industry to stop post-harvest wastages incurred by the farmers in the state.
“Our pitches in the United States of America were primarily, on the productivity of our state including agriculture and the modernization of it. We as a government are strictly looking at the expansion of Agric and Agro-business in the state. Our next phase of this shift will probably be the processing industry. We usually incur post-harvest wastages. So we will make a shift where the farmers also gain, and we also are able to gain as a state.”he stated.