Governors Alia, Kefas Hold Border Security Talks in Wukari

Governors Alia, Kefas Hold Border Security Talks in Wukari

Benue and Taraba governors met traditional rulers in Wukari to coordinate a joint response to fresh attacks and displacement in border communities shared by both states.

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State and Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State have opened direct talks on insecurity affecting settlements along the Benue–Taraba boundary. The meeting, held in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State, brought together traditional rulers from both sides as the two administrations moved to calm violence that has led to killings, displacement and property loss.

The engagement followed recent attacks by gunmen suspected to be herders in Takum, Donga, Ussa and Wukari local government areas in southern Taraba, as well as neighbouring communities in Benue. Residents in several affected areas have been forced from their homes and farms, with many internally displaced persons now depending on support while they wait for safer conditions.

At the meeting, the governors described the joint effort as a practical show of political resolve against criminal groups operating across the border corridor. One of the leaders at the talks said lasting peace would depend on cooperation and shared understanding between the two states. Participants also said traditional rulers are central to local conflict resolution and grassroots peace work because of their proximity to communities under pressure.

Both governors said their governments would step up protective measures for vulnerable communities and continue support for displaced residents, including relief interventions and plans for safe return to ancestral homes when conditions permit. They also reaffirmed plans to deepen inter-state collaboration through closer intelligence sharing and coordinated security operations focused on removing armed criminal elements from the border axis.

The Wukari meeting marks a renewed attempt by both states to align political leadership, community institutions and security planning around a single objective: restoring stability in communities repeatedly hit by violence.