Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has dismissed claims suggesting that the Federal Government has abandoned the people of Benue in the face of relentless attacks by suspected herdsmen
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Alia said President Bola Tinubu has given the state his full backing in tackling the violent crisis.
“If the president didn’t understand the gravity of what is happening, he wouldn’t be giving us full support,” Alia said. “Seventeen local governments out of 23 were under siege. We fought it down to nine, then six, and now just three — all thanks to the Federal Government’s support.”
He revealed that in response to one of the recent attacks, the Federal Government deployed three security units to the state, which led to a significant retreat of the armed attackers occupying affected communities.
Benue, a major food-producing state in Nigeria’s North-Central region, has faced years of violence allegedly involving nomadic herdsmen and farming communities. While the crisis has roots in land disputes and communal tension, the bloodshed has escalated in recent weeks.
On Saturday, June 15, 2025, suspected herdsmen attacked Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area, killing at least 59 people, including military and civil defense officers. The killings followed previous assaults in April and May, where over 100 residents were murdered across Ukum, Logo, and Gwer West LGAs.
Despite growing public outrage and protests, Governor Alia insists the Tinubu-led government is actively working to end the violence and restore peace in the state.
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