See complete details of joint security meeting between Benue, Taraba

In furtherance to the sustained efforts for enduring peace between Benue and Taraba States, their Excellencies the Executive Governors of Benue and Taraba States, Samul Ortom and Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku, critical stakeholders of the boundary communities, security councils and traditional rulers of the two states held a joint security meeting at the Federal University, Wukari.

The joint security meeting undertook inspection visits to Abako, Sai and Dogon-Gawa communities and interacted with members of the public in the communities. The need for peaceful coexistence amongst boundary communities of the two states was stressed. The meeting also stressed the need for community and security collaboration to achieve enduring peace. At the end of the meeting the following resolutions were reached:

1. The meeting condemned in strong terms the spate of kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry involving armed youths in the two states;

2. The joint security meeting emphasized the need for job creation as a fundamental tool to reduce unemployment and make the youths self reliant thereby reducing the menace of unemployment which results into criminalacts;

3. The meeting also stressed the need for adequate provision of logistics support to the security agencies by both the Federal and state governments to sustain surveillance;

4. The meeting further stressed the need for communities/security collaborations by reporting all forms of criminality appropriately and not to shield criminal elements in both states;

5. The two governors resolved to ensure sustained synergy between the two states to warrant peaceful conduct of the 2019 General Elections;

6. The two governors resolved to constitute a joint security committee made up of people of proven integrity and locals of the area between the two states to address the security challenges;

7. That joint security forces to be constituted with a police station in Sai;

8. The joint security meeting mandated the Boundary Committees of the two states in conjunction with the National Boundary Commission to meet and ensure that boundary issues involving the two states are resolved.

Signed:

Samuel Ortom, Executive Governor, Benue State.

Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku, Executive Governor, Taraba State.