By: Henry Iyorkase, Makurdi.
There is no no hunger protest in Makurdi the state capital and its environs as the Youths and other relevant stakeholders Conceded to shelve the agitations due to the plea made by the Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State.
in an encountered while monitoring the situation met with Commissioner of police Benue State mr Hassan Steve Yabanet
Excerpts
Every Nigerian has the right to protest we have a duty to protect lives and property. Once the protesters give us their location, we have the right to protect and ensure it is peaceful. This is why we have come out with other Security agencies, the army, DSS, correctional services, Road Safety, Federal Fire Service, Immigration, Civil Defence, NDLEA, NAPTIP, we have gone round the town in a show of force to ensure that no one is harassed or molested and so far, so good everybody is going about their lawful business.
There is no protest in Benue State. We have done a lot of engagement myself and the Director DSS and other security agencies with NLC, NANS, Traders, Tricycle, Okada, NURTW, market women and even the traditional rulers, the two paramount rulers Tor Tiv and Och’Idoma have spoken that they will not be part of any protest and their people will not be part of any protest. I think at the level of the State govt, they have done some engagement at the Expanded security
council meeting and the govt of Benue State said they will not be part of any protest.
All the reports we have received from Otukpo, Gboko and Katsina-Ala shows that all is calm. We have marshaled enough officers, there are people on stand by, we have kept them somewhere. All the strategic places and KTP, prison yards, correctional center, all the people and places that need to be protected, are been protected .
The show of force is to give people confidence that they are secured and can come out and do their business. The town is safe and people can go about their lawful business without fear of intimidation or molestation by anybody.