By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has denied ever saying there is absolute peace in the state as insinuated in some quarters.
Governor Alia while reacting to allegations credited to the immediate past governor of Benue State relating to peace in the state, said his predecessor with his co- travelers should know that there’s a difference between relative peace and absolute peace.
He argued that he has been consistent that relative peace has returned in the state under his watch, describing the outing as mere propaganda.
The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, yesterday, in Makurdi, insisted that the state has witnessed significant reduction in violence compared to previous years.
He further revealed that under his watch, daily mass killings and attacks on local communities have significantly diminished, allowing residents to feel safer in their communities.
The governor maintained that those who hitherto could not access their ancestral homes, now go to their farms while some have even returned and settled back home, stressing that markets that were once closed because of insecurity are now thriving again.
He said in Guma local government area where the immediate past governor hails from, local markets like Kaseyo, Ortese, Gbajimba, Daudu among others have reopened, showcasing a resurgence in commerce and a return to normalcy, describing the economic revival being witnessed by the people as a testament to improved security and governmental effectiveness.
The governor said his administration has effectively reduced the number of internally displaced persons, IDPs, in the state, explaining that while his predecessor claimed there were four million IDPs, recent profiling showed fewer than one million remaining in camps, insisting that the exodus from IDP camps shows that many families have returned to their ancestral homes, which further signified a return to stability.
He said the resurgence of agricultural activities in Mbagwen and Isherev districts in Makurdi and surrounding areas underscores the positive impact of the current administration’s efforts to restore peace and confidence.