Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has made serious allegations against some sitting members of the National Assembly, claiming they are complicit in orchestrating violent attacks across the state.
He described the situation as deeply alarming and unacceptable, indicating that a judicial panel’s interim findings have already implicated several influential figures.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Governor Alia revealed that the escalating violence in Benue was not a result of the widely perceived farmer-herder clashes, but rather a deliberate and well-coordinated wave of terrorism.
“We are under siege,” the governor stated firmly when asked if the attacks could be classified as terrorism. “The way these attacks are carried out — based on intelligence we receive — shows they are meticulously planned and executed. The accuracy of our intel ranges from 60 to 65 percent, which speaks to the organized nature of these assaults.”
According to Alia, the attackers operate with alarming precision and elusiveness, striking during the night and disappearing without a trace. “None of them is ever caught. They hit and vanish like ghosts. This is terrorism, not random conflict. These are trained killers waging guerrilla-style warfare,” he said.
He further emphasized that what is happening in Benue has gone far beyond ethnic disputes. “This is not just about herders and farmers anymore. This is targeted violence—acts of terror designed to destabilize the state.”
To uncover the root causes of the persistent attacks, Governor Alia set up a judicial panel of inquiry. The interim report, he said, has unearthed disturbing connections between the violence and certain political figures operating from Abuja. “It is extremely unsettling,” he noted.
“Some of these politicians, who are still actively serving in the National Assembly, have been named as key actors—sponsoring, harboring, and equipping these terrorists, even funding their stay in the bushes.”
He described the actions of such politicians as a betrayal of public trust, motivated by selfish political ambitions at the expense of innocent lives. “If they are doing this to secure their political relevance while my responsibility is to protect the common man, then they are clearly enemies of the people,” Alia declared.
The governor concluded by reaffirming his commitment to justice and vowed decisive action once the panel’s final report is submitted in the coming week.
“By Tuesday or Wednesday, I expect the full report. Once I have it, we will act swiftly. We owe it to the people of Benue to protect them and hold those responsible accountable—no matter how highly placed they are.”