Benue Killings: Fmr Benue APC guber aspirant, berates Alia, demands accountability on security votes
By Msugh Ityokura
A former governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Benue state, Dr.Jeffrey Kuraun has berated Benue state governor, Hyacinth Alia over the persistent killings and insecurity in the state.
Kuraun said the killings are not only tragic, but deeply alarming, particularly given the scale of resources at the state’s disposal.
He emphasized that the ongoing killings demand more than national sympathy and rhetorical condemnations pointing out that they require bold, effective and accountable leadership from the state government.
“Benue cannot continue to suffer avoidable bloodshed while receiving the largest monthly allocation for security among all Nigerian states. The Security Votes Must Translate to Security Impact; Security votes are public funds meant to be used for operational intelligence, local law enforcement support, community policing, and proactive threat neutralization.
“If Benue receives over ₦3 billion monthly and yet communities remain exposed to attacks, then the effectiveness of fund utilization is in question. There should be No Room For Blame Games; It is easy to point fingers at federal agencies, neighboring states, or even past administrations, however, the first responsibility lies with the current custodians of power in Benue”.
In a statement titled “Accountability Over Excuses, Benue Must Lead the Security Response” issued Sunday, in Abuja, the renowned public policy expert posited that leadership means taking the initiative and not waiting for Abuja or external actors saying excuses and blame cannot replace action.
He said coordinated local response is sacrosanct saying community policing units must be trained and equipped adding that traditional rulers, local leaders, and vigilante networks must be formally engaged.
“There should be a public audit of security spending to rebuild public trust and ensure the votes are not misappropriated, suing for collaboration with federal security forces which must be built on mutual accountability and not rivalry.
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“Transparency Is Non-Negotiable; the veil of secrecy over how security votes are spent must be lifted. The good people of Benue State have a right to ask: What exactly is ₦3 billion achieving monthly? The era of unaccounted, opaque spending must give way to measurable security outcomes” the statement read.
According to him, Benue is not just a line item on a budget as it is home to millions of Nigerians whose lives and livelihoods are at stake saying with the highest security vote in the country, the state government must lead the security intervention with courage, clarity, and full accountability.
“Lives must matter more than politics and inaction is no longer acceptable” he said.
