Benue govt reacts to PDP’s accusations about establishment of private security outfit

The Benue State Government has refuted claims that it was involved in any way with the establishment of a private security company in the state.

Sam Ode, the state’s deputy governor, made this clarification on Saturday during a press conference held in his office in Makurdi.

He clarified that in order to guarantee the return of displaced people to their original homes, the current administration had no intention of collaborating with any unidentified security organisation that claimed to be working with the new government.

This announcement comes in response to criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the alleged establishment of the security company, Al-Tershak Global Security Limited in the state.

The PDP had last Saturday raised concerns about the opening of a private security company in Makurdi through its publicity secretary, Bemgba Iortyom, and claimed that the deputy governor, who was present and represented by an assistant, had commended the security company.

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The PDP urged that the state government do a background check on the private security firm’s leader while also expressing concern about his history.

The narrative however, was dismissed by the deputy governor on Saturday, calling it and attempt by “mischievous elements to drag the Benue State Government led by Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia into a non-existent controversy.”

Ode further said, “At no time in the period under review (did) this government authorise the establishment of such security outfit called Al-Tershak Global Security Ltd and did I authorise any group or individual to represent me at such event.

“As a government we are calling on good people of Benue State including the media to ignore this PDP rumor calculated to drag the administration of Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia into controversy.

“We have no intention to collaborate with any private security outfit in the state, as the present goverment is poised to address the security issue in the state which include and not limited to the resettlement of displaced persons back to their ancestral homes.”

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