Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia has dismissed calls for self-defence in response to ongoing violence in the state, favouring community policing instead. Speaking on AIT’s Kakaaki on Tuesday, Alia warned that arming civilians could worsen insecurity, urging grassroots-based policing as the safer alternative……READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT HERE
Governor Alia says self-defence will make Benue residents more vulnerable, not safer.
He insists local knowledge is vital: “Only insiders can truly understand local threats.”
Alia calls for urgently adopting community policing to tackle guerrilla-style attacks.
Bandits use hit-and-run tactics that make identification and tracking difficult, Alia says.
WATCH THE VIDEO OF WHERE HE MADE THE DECLARATION HERE.
Insecurity often tempts desperate communities to seek vigilante justice, but Alia warns that fighting fire with fire can burn the whole house. His preference for community policing challenges assumptions that more weapons equal more safety. In truth, local intelligence, trust, and terrain knowledge often outperform brute force. For Benue, the real defence may lie not in arms, but in community cohesion. Are Nigerians ready to embrace this more patient, strategic approach to protection? Or will fear push citizens into taking up arms despite the risks?..…READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT HERE
Sources: TheCable, AIT