By Peter Duru – Makurdi

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state says his government would replicate ‘Operation Amotekun’ in his state in view of the magnitude of the security challenges confronting the people of the state.

The explained that the overwhelming security challenges in the state coupled with the dearth of security personnel to tackle the challenge had made it imperative to establish a similar outfit to complement the efforts of the conventional security personnel in the state.

The Governor who gave the indication on Monday in Makurdi added however that the matter had not been discussed at the level of governors of north-central states but added that it was an option Benue state would have to adopt.

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He said, “on the issue of Benue replicating ‘Amotekun’ I think every other region is planing their security outfit and I think that we are also going to meet very soon at our own regional level.

“For me as a person, though we have not met at the regional level of North Central Governors, I can assure you that there will be a need for Benue state too to provide a security outfit that will complement what the conventional security personnel is doing.

“Though we are yet to discuss it at the regional level for me, as Benue state Governor I think there is need to have something in place that will collaborate and complement what the current security personnel is doing because they are grossly inadequate.

“How can a whole Local Government Area, LGA, like Guma have less than 50 policemen? Even other LGAs in the state have less that number. So this is the challenge, we are not criticizing anyone but we are saying the truth.

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“And it is something that we have to collectively come together to handle. It is not a matter of ego, not at all. We need to secure the state so that our displaced farmers can go back home otherwise I keep saying that we will have issues with food insecurity.

“These IDPs are the people who farm in our communities, there are no mechanized farming activities in Benue state. But we have the peasant farmers and those are the people in the IDPs camps scattered across the state. I need these people to go back home, it is my desire. So I think a similar thing like ‘Amotekun’ would have to happen, we have no option than to do it in view of our challenges.”

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