Governor Alia Hosts National Stakeholders, Presents Benue as Model for Peace and Reintegration
Governor Hyacinth Alia welcomed stakeholders, experts, and development partners to Government House, Makurdi, for the North-Central Regional Consultation on the Harmonisation of Nigeria’s National Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) Framework. The two-day event, themed “Creating Exit Pathways from Violence and Criminality through a Regionally Responsive Approach,” positioned Benue as a bold model for peacebuilding and local security innovation.
The Governor showcased landmark security interventions, including the deployment of 5,000 Civil Protection Guards, Operation Anyam Nyor with 100 Hilux vehicles and 600 combat motorcycles, and investments in digital surveillance and intelligence systems. Community-based solutions like the Sankera Peace Initiative and youth reintegration efforts were highlighted as practical responses to long-standing insecurity.
Governor Alia called on the NSA and the National Counter-Terrorism Centre to adopt Benue’s Sankera model as a pilot for regional DDR implementation. He expressed gratitude to partners including FCDO, SPRiNG Project, Tetra-Tech, and International Alert for their support. In his words: “Transformation is possible when communities lead and governments listen.” Benue under Governor Alia is fast becoming a national reference point for peace and security innovation.
