Benue Killings: Varsity VC faults Gov Alia over failure to visit Abande

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has announced urgent security and infrastructure measures to stabilise communities in Kwande Local Government Area

Following recent deadly attacks by bandits, the Vice-Chancellor of Mkar University, Gboko, Professor Zacharys Anger Gundu, has criticised the Benue State governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, for allegedly failing to visit Abande, one of the worst-hit communities.

The governor had embarked on a tour of affected areas, addressing residents at Anwase Market Square after inspecting several communities. He disclosed that his administration would immediately commence the construction of the Nyihemba–Tomataan–Mkem–Anwase–Abande road, describing it as critical to restoring security and access in the troubled axis.

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Professor Gundu faulted the governor’s visit, alleging that Alia failed to reach Abande, where several residents were reportedly killed in the attacks. “If the governor failed to reach Abande, where the bereaved were waiting, he lost an opportunity to reassure them that their lives matter,” Gundu said.

He warned that overlooking Abande due to its remote location could send a troubling message to residents of other vulnerable communities, stressing that physical presence during moments of grief carries strong symbolic and emotional significance.

The vice-chancellor further linked the persistent insecurity in the Turan axis to illegal mining activities, accusing some local elites of benefiting from what he described as “illicit blood minerals.” He also criticised traditional rulers and public officials who allegedly failed to insist that the governor visit Abande, arguing that safeguarding citizens is a shared responsibility of both government and traditional institutions.

Governor Alia reiterated his administration’s resolve to restore lasting peace through a combination of infrastructure development, enhanced security patrols and inter-agency collaboration, even as critics such as Professor Gundu continue to urge greater attention to Abande and other hard-to-reach communities affected by the violence.

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