Benue SSC Establishes Bureau Of Homeland Security, Declares Indefinite Curfew In Sankera

The Benue State Security Council (SSC) has announced the formation of the Bureau of Homeland Security, which will be in charge of coordinating with the governor’s office and other security agencies to ensure a quick response in times of emergency.

The Council also extended indefinitely the curfew imposed by the State Government on Ukum Local Government Area (LGA) over the mayhem that engulfed the area a fortnight ago, following the killing of eight people in Ayati, Borikyo Council ward.

Sir Kula Tersoo, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Hyacinth Alia, who announced this in a statement to journalists in Makurdi on Friday, also stated that the curfew and ban on all forms of protests have been extended to the entire Sankera axis, which includes Logo, Ukum, and Katsina-Ala LGAs, until further notice.

He explained that the SSC reached the resolutions during a meeting presided over by Deputy Governor, Sam Ode, who represented Governor Alia at the event, which took place on Thursday night at Government House in Makurdi.

The CPS also stated that, while the Security Council agreed that the Bureau would be led by a Director General appointed by the governor, the Council urged the government to act quickly by establishing a Judicial Panel of Inquiry to determine the extent of destruction caused by the violent protests that resulted in the torching of government and private property.

Kula stated that the Benue State Security Council has approved the establishment of a Bureau of Homeland Security in the state to coordinate and liaise between the governor’s office and security agencies to provide immediate responses to security issues in Benue.

“Following the recent attacks in Ukum LGA, the Security Council directed that the curfew in the entire Sankera area of the state be maintained, as well as a ban on protests throughout the axis until further notice.

The CPS also stated that “While insisting that the Benue State law against Matching Ground is still effective and operational and will soon be gazetted and made available to the public, the Security Council also directed the Special Adviser on Security to work in collaboration with the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism to organise a workshop and sensitise the people on the dangers of illicit drugs and human trafficking in the state.