Makurdi, March 13, 2026 (NAN) The Federal Government, through the office of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Community Engagement, North Central, on Friday engaged stakeholders in Benue Northeast on how to restore enduring peace in the area using the non-kinetic approach.
The engagement known as the citizens’ assembly held in Ushongu, Ushongu Local Government Area (LGA), was also aimed at boosting infrastructural development of the zone.
Dr Abiodun Essiet, the SSA to the President on Community Engagement North Central, said that the engagement was a follow-up to the Presidential Community Engagement Peace Initiative, which we launched in 2025.
Essiet stated that the team has brought stakeholders together to hear directly from them about issues affecting their communities.
The SSA said that stakeholders have raised concerns about insecurity, border challenges with neighboring states such as Taraba and Nasarawa, and infrastructural deficiencies that affect the ability of security agencies to respond effectively.
She explained that the mentioned communication gaps in some communities made it difficult to alert authorities or neighboring towns when incidents occur.
“We are here in the Benue Northeast Senatorial District, which is made up of seven local governments; Vandeikya, Ukum, Katsina-Ala, Kwande, konshisha, Ushongu and Logo.
“We are here for an on-the-spot assessment of the insecurity situation in Benue Northeast and Kwande Local Government Area, which was recently attacked, to see firsthand what has happened.
“My role here is to assure them of Mr President’s support and the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing insecurity in Benue.
“We have deployed additional military personnel, asked the police to increase their presence, and strengthened security across affected communities.
“We have also emphasised the importance of regular stakeholder dialogue so that communities can understand each other’s concerns and collectively decide on the way forward.
We believe that consistent communication and cooperation at the local level were critical to sustaining peace in Benue.
Regarding border security, the SSA said that she met with the deputy governor, Mr Sam Odeh, who oversees these issues.
“We discussed initiatives with neighboring states and highlighted the need for ongoing federal support to secure these porous boundaries. Their concerns and recommendations will be relayed directly to Mr President.
“Additionally, there were concerns about federal roads. We informed them about 10 ongoing federal road projects in the state and documented the roads with issues.
“These will be forwarded to the Minister of Works and Mr President, as road conditions directly affect security operations. Poor roads hinder the deployment of military and security personnel during incidents, including kidnappings and attacks.
“All their concerns have been carefully noted, documented, and reported back to Mr President. We remain committed to supporting the communities and ensuring lasting peace in Benue,” she assured.
Mr Frank Adzuu, Director of Community Engagement, Advocacy, and Strategic Partnership, Benue Peace Commission, lauded the Federal Government’s initiative to interact with the people with a view to addressing their concerns.
“The President, through the SSA, has done so much for the state. The initiative has been instrumental in helping the state achieve lasting peace.
“The efforts of the FG through the office of the SSA are making a real difference,” he stated.
Mr Fidelis Unongu, Special Adviser to the Benue Governor on Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, said in his remarks that negotiations for peace must continue in every society experiencing crisis.
Unongu said, however, that for peace to be restored, rules, regulations, and laws must be respected and enforced.
The special adviser commended the FG’s promotion of peace and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders that attended the citizens’ assembly included traditional rulers, women’s group leaders, youth leaders, and others. (NAN)
