Benue News: Latest News from Benue today, October 9, 2023

1. The Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has ordered all criminals tormenting the residents to leave the state or risk arrest.

The governor gave the order in a statement issued on Saturday in Makurdi by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula.

2. Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has ordered all criminals currently operating in Benue State to leave or risk arrest.

This is contained in a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Sir Tersoo Kula, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi yesterday.

3. The Benue State Taskforce on Illegal Mining has restated its determination to clamp down on all illegal solid mineral mining in the state.

The task force also warned against engaging minors in mining exploitation in the state, threatening they would not condone such acts.

4. A don at the Federal University in Wukari, Dr. Vincent Gisaor, has revealed that a staggering number of 28,997 people have lost their lives due to insecurity in Benue State.

Additionally, while presenting a paper at the symposium, organised by the Benue State government, in Makurdi, titled: ‘The Socio-Economic Development of Benue State: The Journey Ahead’, the economics professor said that over 54,476 houses and farm produce worth over N21 billion have been destroyed in the state.

5. The Benue State government has declared emergency on infrastructural development in the state.

Briefing newsmen Thursday on the outcome of the meeting presided over by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Sam Ode, the Commissioner for Works and Housing, Itiza Imojime said the Council made the declaration to enable the government take decisive action to address the infrastructural decay in the state.

6. Tiv Professionals Association has called on all elected and appointed officials of Benue State extraction in the President Bola Tinubu administration to close ranks and address the worrisome resurgence of insecurity in and around the state.

This came as the Abuja-based socio-cultural group, at the weekend, honoured the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Joseph Utsev and nine members of the 10th National Assembly.

7. Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue state has issued a seven-day ultimatum to traditional rulers in Kwande Local Government Area, LGA, of the state to produce the armed gang that attacked members of the Cow Dealers Cooperative Society, Katsina-Ala chapter, Katsina-Ala LGA of the state that claimed two lives and left 11 others missing.

The Governor also condemned the attack on the traders who were said to be conveying their goods to the Eastern part of the country when the truck conveying them fell into a ditch at Nyihemba community.

8. A senator, Titus Zam, has said his parents are currently languishing in one of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Benue State due to the endless insecurity in the state.

He also said over 1.5 million Benue residents were displaced from their homes when armed bandits attacked different areas of the state in 2022.

9. The Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Hyacinth Dajoh, on Saturday, commissioned three infrastructural projects in his state constituency, Gboko West.

The speaker also awarded scholarships to undergraduate and postgraduate students and donated 10,000 exercise books for both students and pupils in the constituency within just four months in office.

10. Worried by rising cases of armed robbery, kidnapping and cultism in communities in Edumoga District of Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State, the Edumoga Youth Association (EYA) has concluded plans to build a police station in Ojapo community, to bring security closer to the people.

The youth association also decided to support the local vigilantes currently offering voluntary services in the communities to check the crime rate in the area.