Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has raised an alarm over the worsening security situation in the state, declaring that terrorism has taken root and is now threatening the peace and safety of residents.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Governor Alia said the repeated attacks on communities in Benue are no longer mere clashes between farmers and herders, but acts of terrorism executed with military-like precision.
“We are under siege,” the governor declared emphatically when asked whether he considers the ongoing violence a form of terror attack. “The way these attacks come and the intel we receive, it is a directed, calibrated plan and then executed.”
He revealed that intelligence reports reaching his office almost daily indicate a disturbing pattern. “On a daily basis we are receiving those intel. Of late, each of those intel we receive, 60 to 65 percent of it is quite accurate,” he noted.
The governor emphasized that the nature of the violence has evolved. “It is beyond just conflict, it is beyond just an ethnic fight between herders and farmers in our state. It is directed, it is planned and then it is executed. It is some terrorism.”
Recent attacks have affected several local government areas in Benue, leaving trails of death, destruction, and displacement. Just in April, over 30 people were feared killed during coordinated raids on villages.
Governor Alia further expressed concern over the sophistication of the attacks, stating that they reflect a pattern of guerrilla warfare. “For some reason, none of them is ever caught. They come in the thick of the night, hit, run, and nobody sees a trace,” he explained. “So, it is some terrorism that is eating us up.”
Beyond the violence, the governor also accused certain politicians in Abuja of being complicit. Without mentioning specific names, he said serving members of the National Assembly are believed to be sponsoring and supporting the armed groups.
“We set up a judicial panel to sort out for us why we kept having attacks from within and from without and we have received an interim report,” he disclosed. “Between Tuesday and Wednesday next week, I am going to get a full report from the panel.”
According to Governor Alia, this report has already implicated prominent politicians. “It is very unsettling because some politicians who are very functional and are in the National Assembly and are in Abuja are the architects and arrowheads,” he stated.
He went further: “They are not just instigating but harbouring and keeping these people in the bushes, taking care of all their bills and buying all the gadgets for them. This is extremely unacceptable.”
Governor Alia promised swift action once the final panel report is received. “If they do not like the lives of the people and are fighting for their own political position, I think I am serving the interest of the common masses and it is my right to protect them.”
He assured the public that the state government would take decisive steps against any individuals or groups found culpable, in a bid to restore peace and secure the lives of Benue citizens.
