Benue Governor Speaks Out: Misquoted Statement Sparks Nationwide Outrage.

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has clarified that his recent comment stating there was “no genocide in Benue” was widely misunderstood. Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, the governor had argued that the state’s security challenges should not be labelled as genocide, a remark that drew sharp criticism from many within and outside the state.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Addressing journalists at the Government House after a private meeting with Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, Alia lamented that his statement was taken out of context, noting that the public appeared unfamiliar with the global definition and historical interpretation of the term “genocide.” He stressed that conversations around such a grave term must align with internationally accepted criteria, adding that many were using the word loosely without considering its proper meaning.

The governor insisted that he had never denied the killings in the state, reaffirming that communities in Benue have suffered repeated attacks from armed bandits and terrorists whose motives, he said, were primarily centred on land occupation. Alia explained that the violence did not start on religious grounds, but rather as clashes between farmers and herders before spiralling into organised criminality.

He emphasised that victims of the ongoing violence come from diverse religious backgrounds, warning that framing the crisis as a religious war is both inaccurate and dangerous. According to him, misrepresentations of his earlier remarks only contribute to further tension, rather than fostering understanding of the complex nature of the conflict.