Benue Killings: Attackers Are Foreigners, Says Governor Alia
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has blamed foreign insurgents for the wave of deadly attacks across six local government areas in the state, which he says have left at least 73 people dead in recent weeks.
Speaking during a televised interview, the governor revealed that heavily armed attackers riding motorcycles invaded Ukum, Logo, and Katsina-Ala LGAs, killing 72 people on Good Friday alone. An additional corpse later recovered brought the death toll to 73.
“These folks don’t look or sound Nigerian. Their Hausa is different. Locals say they are Malians and other foreigners,” Alia said, noting that the attackers wield AK-47s, AK-49s, and machetes.
He added that other LGAs—Kwande, Guma, and Gwer West—are also under siege, with the insurgents believed to be operating from camps in Nasarawa and along the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
Governor Alia described the killings as part of a land-grabbing campaign, stating that some parts of the state have been occupied by the attackers for over 15 years, serving as launchpads for continued violence.
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, visited the governor with a message from President Bola Tinubu, assuring residents of the government’s commitment to restoring peace and protecting lives and property.
