Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has dismissed claims that the Federal Government has neglected the state amid relentless attacks by armed assailants.
Speaking during an appearance on The Morning Brief aired by Channels Television on Monday, Mr Alia said government intervention significantly reduced the scale of violence in the region.
According to the governor, “If President Bola Tinubu had no grasp of the situation, he wouldn’t be offering us such strong backing.”
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He revealed that 17 of Benue’s 23 local government areas had once come under heavy assault but credited federal support for scaling the figure down to just three.
“We managed to reduce the number of affected LGAs from 17 to 9, then to 6, and now to 3. This wouldn’t have been possible without the Federal Government’s full cooperation,” Mr Alia stated.
He said the deployment of three tactical security units by Abuja in response to recent surges in violence forced the attackers to retreat from previously occupied areas.
Benue, located in Nigeria’s North-Central region and a major hub for agricultural production, has endured waves of brutal attacks over the years, often blamed on suspected herders.
The violence is widely believed to be fuelled by disputes over land between indigenous farmers and itinerant pastoralists.
The bloodshed has shown no sign of abating. On 15 June 2025, suspected herdsmen stormed Yelewata community in a late-night assault, leaving at least 59 people dead, including military and civil defence personnel.
Just weeks earlier, similar raids in Ukum and Logo LGAs in April claimed around 60 lives. May brought more tragedy, with at least 42 residents murdered in Gwer West LGA.
Pope Leo XIV condemned the latest atrocities, describing them as acts of ‘extreme cruelty.’
The killings have triggered widespread public anger and demonstrations, with many Nigerians accusing the Federal Government of failing to act decisively.
Opposition figures such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have also criticised the Mr Tinubu administration, urging it to fulfil its constitutional duty to safeguard citizens.
While expressing sympathy for grieving families and displaced communities, Mr Alia reaffirmed that federal authorities have been responsive.
He pointed to a recent inspection tour by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, as evidence of ongoing engagement.
Reflecting on the roots of the crisis, the governor noted a shift from traditional farmer-herder clashes to violent incursions by heavily armed militants posing as herders.
“They no longer arrive with cattle. Instead, those at the frontlines carry AK-47s and AK-49s. They come to kill, not to graze,” he said.
He also suggested that some locals may be complicit in the violence, possibly collaborating with external armed groups.
“It is plausible that some residents have been recruited into militias. We can’t rule that out—certain names have come up, and historically, we know there are bandits operating within,” he added.
Mr Alia highlighted the geographical challenges Benue faces, citing its porous borders with Cameroon, Taraba, and Nasarawa as vulnerabilities exploited by the attackers.
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He alleged that many of the assailants were foreign nationals who did not speak familiar Nigerian dialects.
He further disclosed a recent conversation with Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, who confirmed receiving intelligence about terrorist movements through Benue.
“I told him the Yelewata attack had already happened, and he said perhaps the attackers had struck in Benue on their way back, as someone was also attacked in Nasarawa,” Mr Alia explained.
