Tensions Erupt: Chidi Odinkalu, Benue Government Clash Over Bloody Herdsmen Invasion

Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has sharply criticized Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, over his recent remarks concerning those responsible for the security crisis in the state.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Governor Alia had claimed that the attacks on Benue communities were carried out by Hausa-speaking mercenaries allegedly originating from Mali — a statement that stirred controversy and backlash.

Responding via a post on on April 23, 2025, Odinkalu accused the governor of spreading misinformation about the identities of the attackers. He challenged the governor’s assertion, highlighting the geographical and linguistic inaccuracies in his claim.

Mocking Alia’s background as a Catholic priest, Odinkalu wrote:
“The Governor of Benue State should return to the seminary or seek re-education. He claims the #BenueMassacres are by Hausa speakers from Mali? Malians primarily speak Bambara, Songhai, and Malinke. Hausa speakers with French accents would likely be from Niger, not Mali.”

In reaction, the Benue State Government, through a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, condemned Odinkalu’s comments, calling them insensitive to the sufferings of the victims of the persistent attacks.

Kula stressed the seriousness of the ongoing crisis, affirming that Governor Alia has consistently identified the attackers without engaging in ethnic profiling.

He said,
“It is truly disappointing that figures like Chidi Odinkalu, who should be standing in solidarity with the victims, instead choose performative criticisms that distract from the real issues affecting the people of Benue.”

“Benue, known as the Food Basket of the Nation, is bleeding from the brutal wounds inflicted by relentless attacks from armed herders. Many lives have been lost, and countless families displaced.”

Kula also noted that Governor Alia has openly acknowledged the challenges in supporting federal security forces with logistics and manpower, given the evident overstretch of available resources.

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