Insecurity in North Central intricate, complicated – Suswam

By Peter Duru

Former Governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam, has expressed support for Governor Hyacinth Alia’s handling of security challenges in the state, describing the situation in the North Central region as intricate and complicated.

Suswam made the remarks after visiting the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Secretariat in Makurdi alongside his supporters, signalling his alignment with the ruling party in the state.

He said his decision was driven by a longstanding personal relationship with Governor Alia, which predates partisan politics.

“I and Governor Hyacinth Alia have long been friends, even before he thought of becoming governor. We have a relationship that transcends party politics,” Suswam stated.

According to him, their continued engagement after the 2023 elections influenced his move to avoid opposition politics in the state. “When he won election, we were communicating and he felt that there was no need for me to be in opposition, and I also saw no need because we have been friends,” he said.

The former governor explained that he brought along his political associates to ensure unity and stability in addressing critical issues affecting the state, particularly insecurity.

“So I had to bring all the people who have been with me since I joined politics so that we can have stability of mind and attend to the issues that afflict Benue such as insecurity,” he added.

On the security situation, Suswam acknowledged the complexity of the crisis and commended Governor Alia’s efforts, noting that many actions taken by the administration remain unseen by the public.

“The insecurity that has bedevilled the North Central is a little bit intricate and complicated. The Governor has done a lot, I have seen it, I am part of it,” he said.

“Some of the steps taken by the Governor are not known to the people. When you are working on insecurity, decisions are taken in secrecy so that they do not leak, but I know he is doing a lot.”

He also credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the state government in tackling insecurity.
“The President too has given him a lot of support,” Suswam noted.
The former governor called for collective responsibility among Nigerians in addressing insecurity, warning that reliance on government alone may not yield desired results.

“All of us have to take interest. We have bandits and terrorists who stay in villages and have families. Those families need to partake in addressing insecurity. If we solely depend on government, it may not work the way we want,” he said.

Suswam further stated that his move to the APC was aimed at strengthening unity in Benue and aligning the state with the ruling party at the federal level. “We are bringing people to support the party, to give stability and to make sure Benue locks down for APC,” he said.

“We want the President to know that Benue is locked down for him so whatever dividend he wants to give to us, he would do so,” he added.

On his political future, Suswam said he remains open to contesting elective office, including a possible return to the Senate.
“As a politician, I am not beyond the age of contesting, so everything is on the table,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Benue State Chairman of the APC, Benjamin Omale, commended Suswam and his supporters for joining the party, describing the move as a significant boost to the party’s strength in the state.