By Brenda Agba
The Benue State Government has said it has not approved any land for the construction of Fulani colonies within the state.
This was made known in a statement issued in reaction to a story making headlines on the social media that Governor Hyacinth Alia, has included Benue in the list of states to get Fulani colonies.
According to the statement which was signed by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula and made available to newsmen, the story is false and should be disregarded.
The statement further reads that: “As earlier explained, it is a burning desire of Governor Hyacinth Alia and the present administration to return the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their homes, as soon as possible.
“However, since most of their houses have been destroyed by the gun carrying marauding herders, the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has agreed to sponsor the reconstruction of new homes for our Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
“The homes are to be built in cluster formats, enabling our people to live more closely with each other and to experience more stability.
“Be rest assured that in Benue, the homes are for our people and not for any colony, whatsoever.”
The statement therefore charged Benue people to know that Governor Hyacinth Alia will not do anything that will undermine the goodwill he has gotten from the wonderful people of the state.
“The governor means well for the people of the state and as such, will always put them first,” the statement summed.
