A former Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State and 2027 governorship hopeful, Chief Bemgba Iortyom, has rejected the inclusion of Benue in the newly announced Northern Security Trust Fund.

The Northern Governors’ Forum had recently unveiled a regional security arrangement covering 19 states, proposing a N1 billion monthly contribution from each state to a joint trust fund aimed at boosting intelligence gathering, emergency response, technology deployment and community policing across the region.

According to the forum, the fund is to be deducted at source to confront the escalating banditry, terrorism and kidnapping ravaging the region.

The decision was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a crucial joint meeting between the governors and members of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council (NTRC) in Kaduna on Monday.

But speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Iortyom described the initiative as a dangerous policy trap designed to divert Benue resources into a regional arrangement that has never protected Benue people.

He argued that Governor Hyacinth Alia’s willingness to commit N1 billion every month to the Fund, despite allegedly not investing heavily to invest in Benue’s own security architectur,e shows that the governor “is not serious about ending insecurity in the state.”

According to Iortyom, the planned security trust fund is structurally flawed because the fund risks becoming a regional security umbrella under which the interests of those who have sustained attacks on Benue communities will be strengthened using Benue resources.

He said, “The people must reject Governor Alia’s decision to drag Benue into this arrangement. Our state cannot contribute N1 billion monthly into a fund that will not secure our borders, will not enforce our laws, and will not protect our communities.”

He added that if the governor deployed even half of the proposed N1 billion monthly into local intelligence systems, volunteer guards and rural response units, insecurity in Benue would be wiped out within months.

He criticised the governor for disbanding local security outfits such as the Livestock Guards and Volunteer Guards established under the previous administration to enforce the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Law (2017).

He said, “Insecurity in Benue targets the most vulnerable. And the truth is that the people at the grassroots have clearer information about the movement and presence of these criminal groups.

“What government needs to do is simple: engage the communities, follow the administrative chain down to the local government and ward levels, and strengthen existing local security structures.

“The previous administration had local security outfits — the Livestock Guards and Volunteer Guards.

They were trained, equipped and prepared to enforce the state’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law. Despite facing obstacles in obtaining full licensing for automatic weapons, the system was functioning.

“We have repeatedly offered suggestions to the governor. Yes, the Nigerian Army and Air Force are needed at certain levels to confront heavily armed terrorists.

“But fundamentally, local communities can defend themselves if the government partners with them, local governments, traditional rulers and volunteer networks across the state. What is missing is not capacity but political will.”