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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The wave of killings and rising insecurity in Benue State took center stage on Tuesday, 16 September 2025, as political actors, experts, and aspiring governorship candidates converged at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, on Wednesday for the unveiling of the Benue 2027 Roadmap.
The event, organized by the Markolima Consultancy Academy (MACA) in collaboration with the Nigerian Good Governance Initiative (NGGI), sought to open dialogue on the state’s worsening security situation, unemployment, industrial stagnation, and leadership challenges ahead of the 2027 elections.
Chairing the session, Chief Terlumun Akputu, Executive Director of FHA Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, described the roadmap as a rallying point for charting new solutions to Benue’s troubled future.
In his welcome address, Dr. Timothy Aikyor, Central Planning Committee (CPC) Chairman of the Benue 2027 Roadmap, underscored the urgency of collective action, noting that insecurity and disunity threaten the very fabric of the state.
“Our mission is to educate, engage, and empower citizens in building the Benue of our dreams. Without security, no other development goal can be achieved,” Dr. Aikyor stressed.
Among the speakers, Dr. Simon Ater, a governance advocate and tech professional, drew attention to insider complicity in the killings ravaging Benue communities.
“We need to ask hard questions: who are the insiders inviting criminals into our state? No society can survive insecurity fueled from within,” he warned.
Ater further linked insecurity to youth neglect and economic stagnation, urging deliberate investment in industries and infrastructure to absorb unemployed youths and strengthen the state’s economy.
Prof. Zachary Gundu, in his presentation on Insecurity and Political Leadership in Benue State, reinforced this call with data-driven analysis, arguing that poor leadership and internal disunity remain the root of the state’s vulnerability. His blunt submission ignited a heated exchange among panelists, including Dr. Jeffrey Kuraun, Surveyor Godwin Tyoachimin, Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, and Dr. Tersoo Loko.
The unveiling also featured endorsement clips from prominent figures, including governorship hopefuls and leaders such as Dr. Ater, Chief Michael Kaase Aondokaa (SAN), Hon. Terseer Ugbor, and Engr. Nick Wende, who all aligned with the roadmap’s mission.
While speakers touched on youth empowerment and economic revival, the consensus was clear: without tackling the killings and restoring security, Benue’s future remains uncertain.
Participants agreed that the Benue 2027 Roadmap marks a decisive step in mobilizing citizens and aspirants alike toward prioritizing security in governance. With phases of dialogue, zoning deliberations, and candidate debates lined up, the roadmap promises to keep insecurity and good governance at the forefront of the state’s 2027 political journey.