The State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) of Benue, Nasarawa, and Plateau States have pledged to collaborate to enhance security at their borders, aiming to curb incessant attacks, particularly on the Benue-Nasarawa and Taraba-Plateau border corridors.
This commitment was made during a press briefing at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) house in Makurdi on Tuesday.
The Executive Secretary of Plateau State Emergency Agency (PSEMA), Hon. Sunday Abdu, and his Nasarawa State counterpart, Barr. Ben Akwash, expressed their condolences to the people of Benue State over the recent killings in Yelwata, which claimed 200 lives on June 13, 2025.
Hon. Abdu lamented the violent attacks on Benue State, noting that Plateau State also faces similar security challenges.
“We should be our brother’s keeper and not allow ourselves to be used against each other,” Hon. Abdu emphasized, highlighting the need for the three states to work together to address their shared security concerns.
“We are here to commiserate with you on the killings. The kind of aggression meted out to Benue State is the same as what Plateau State experiences. Let us pray for the North Central”, he added
The Director-General of Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Barr. Ben Akwash, also condoled with the people of Benue State, stressing the need for partnership and cooperation to advance their respective courses and discharge their mandates effectively.
He noted, “There is a need for partnership with each other, especially in the area of flooding, in sensitizing our people and being in a state of preparedness.”
The Executive Secretary of Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), Dr. James Iorpuu, highlighted the sustained attacks on Benue State since 2011, which have continued to escalate.
“We are shocked and appalled, both as a state and as a region, by the horrific massacre that occurred in Yelwata on June 13th. The scale of violence witnessed in Yelwata is unprecedented and unparalleled globally. Innocent lives were lost while people were peacefully sleeping, brutally cut short by the sudden and unprovoked attack launched by the Fulani herders.
He extend his deepest gratitude to the Plateau and Nasarawa emergency management agencies for their heartfelt condolences and expressions of support during this difficult time and assured them of collaboration.
“We will work together to stop those who come from Nasarawa to attack and kill us,” Dr. Iorpuu said, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to collaborative efforts to address security challenges.
