BENUE SOUTH CARNAGE :Chief Mike Kaase Aondoakaa,SAN Demands End to “Governance by Lamentation”
Pan Afric Reporters
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship candidate for Benue State 2027, Chief Mike Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, and his running mate, Dr. Ogbenjuwa Oyije Ocheakiti, have vehemently condemned the brutal attack by armed herders on Otukpo nobi in the Otukpo district of Otukpo Local Government Area, Benue South, which left more than eight innocent persons dead and several others displaced.
In a joint statement issued by their campaign organisation, the alternative leadership duo expressed deep sorrow over the recurring carnage, extending their heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and the entire Idoma nation. They described the latest killings as an avoidable tragedy that highlights the systemic failure of the current administration to secure the lives and property of Benue citizens.
Chief Aondoakaa expressed deep concern over what he termed “governance by lamentation,” pointing out that despite the massive monthly security votes appropriated to the state government, communities continue to be left vulnerable to bloodthirsty marauders. He emphasized that the current administration’s failure to institutionalize robust logistical and operational support for federal security agencies, such as Operation Whirl Stroke, has severely crippled the effectiveness of counter-insurgency operations in troubled zones.
Dr. Ocheakiti, a security expert, added that a state government must move beyond issuing press releases of commiseration and actively deploy resources to prevent breaches before they occur.
To break this vicious cycle of violence and permanently eliminate these continuous occurrences, Chief Aondoakaa and Dr. Ocheakiti proffered a comprehensive mix of kinetic and non-kinetic strategies:
Kinetic Actions
Establishment of Forward Operational Bases (FOBs): Deploy permanent joint military and police tactical units at identified entry points and transit corridors used by armed herders, particularly near the local railway lines and riverine boundaries connecting Otukpo to surrounding forests.
Logistical Support and Re-engineering of Local Defense: Formally institutionalize, properly equip, and fund the state-backed Civil Protection Guard and community volunteer groups, ensuring they work in perfect synergy with conventional federal security apparatus for rapid response.
Intelligence-Led Clean-Up Operations: Launch sustained, proactive search-and-flush operations within the bushes and forests bordering Benue South to dismantle the operational hideouts of the armed bandits rather than waiting to react after an attack.
Non-Kinetic Actions
Audit and Transparent Deployment of Security Votes: Channel a dedicated percentage of monthly security votes into funding localized early-warning technology, including drone surveillance, community communication hotlines, and geospatial tracking tools.
Border Infrastructure and Inter-State Collaboration: Initiate joint security summits and collaborative policing frameworks with neighboring states to monitor transhumance movements and cut off supply lines to criminal elements.
Resettlement and Economic Re-engagement: Roll out an immediate, secured resettlement program to return internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their ancestral farmlands, systematically closing empty spaces that bandits typically occupy while restoring the economic dignity of rural communities.
Community Dialogue and Traditional Conflict Resolution: Empower traditional rulers, youth organizations, and community development associations to strengthen local intelligence gathering, foster unity, and identify insider collaborators.
The PDP candidates reiterated that the primary purpose of any responsive government is the protection of lives and property. They assured the people of Benue State that their upcoming administrative blueprint for 2027 remains rigidly anchored on replacing administrative weakness with legal integrity, transparent resource management, and a definitive end to insecurity.
Comrade Otse Ogebe writes for The Aondoakaa / Ogbenjuwa Campaign Organisation
