Ado unrest: Stakeholders discuss security, issue communiqué

Ado Local Government Chairman, James Oche has said his administration would support Governor Samuel Ortom and the Benue State Government in seeing to the full implementation of the law establishing Community Volunteer Guards.

James Oche who gave these words at the expanded stakeholders security meeting of Ado local government area, held on Sunday, 9th May, 2021 in Igumale maintained that it was indeed sacrosanct to, in the wake the security concerns, rise up to the task in defence of the lives and properties of people of Benue State.

At the stakeholders meeting the political class was led by the Member, House of Representatives for Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, Hon. Francis Otta Agbo, the Ado Local Government Chairman, James Oche, the Member representing Ado State Constituency, Hon. Mrs. Agnes Uloko and the Benue Commissioner for Urban Development Chief Dennis Ekpe Ogbu as well as other prominent individuals including former state assembly members, past chairmen and leaders of various political parties in Ado. At the stakeholders meeting were also religious leaders, heads of security agencies and traditional rulers.

The modalities for the implementation of the law on Community Volunteer Guards and sundry security issues affecting Ado LGC and Benue State were deliberated and consensus reached as contained in a communique issued immediately after the meeting.

The stakeholders while commending Governor Samuel Ortom for his efforts especially as regards security of lives and property of Benue People noted that the implementation of the law was long due having been passed since 2000.

The assembly of stakeholders urged the Benue State Government to as quick as possible support the Ado Local Government with the provision of logistics and material support for the new guards and further commended the efforts of Mr. James Oche in ensuring the security of the people of Ado.

Speaking on the crisis between Effium and Ezza communities, the stakeholders warned Effium and Ezza people to desist defiling Ado land with blood of innocent ones in the name of fighting each other and further urged the security agencies to go after all those behind the crisis in the two communities and arrest them for prosecution, directing that a curfew be placed in affected communities to limit movement of persons pending when normalcy would return.

The stakeholders also commended the senator representing Benue south senatorial district, comrade Abba Moro for raising up the Ado security situation in the floor of the Senate, stressing that his action further strengthened and restored their confidence in his ability to representing them. They saluted the gallantry of the operation Whirl stroke and the Police as well as other security agencies in Ado.

The Ado stakeholders used the forum to condem in totality the recent statement and actions of the Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Umahi, who falsely accused the peaceful and vulnerable Agila people for the attack on the Umugodu-Akpu community of Ebonyi State and commended the Ado council chairman for his prompt action in ensuring that the truth was told to the public through the media and called on the Federal Government and relevant authorities to hasten the delimitation of the Benue/Ebonyi Boundary.

The stakeholders further charged the Hon. Francis Ottah Agbo and the Mr. James Oche to create an opportunity for them to have an interface with the Benue State Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom over recent developments within the Local Government.