Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has raised the alarm over escalating security challenges in the state, particularly with the start of the 2025 farming season, lamenting that the state is under siege by elements determined to displace the people and take over their ancestral homes.
The governor, who made this known while addressing worshippers at the Chapel of Grace, Government House, Makurdi, called on citizens to remain alert and stand firm against those seeking to destabilise the state by reporting suspicious movements to security agencies.
Recall that the governor a few days ago visited Ukum and Logo local government areas of Benue State where attacks on the communities by armed bandits on Thursday, and early hours of Good Friday, left over 50 farmers dead with scores sustaining varying degrees of injuries. He appealed to the federal government to come to the aid of the state to end the attacks.
A statement by the principal special assistant to the governor on media and content creation, Isaac Uzaan, quoted the governor as expressing grave concern over the persistent attacks on the farming communities in the state, stating that the state is under siege by elements determined to displace the people and take over their lands.
“We are under siege as a state. Our people are under constant attack; those attacking us are not ghosts; they have faces, motives, and missions. They drag people out, they kill to occupy. It is completely unacceptable,” Governor Alia fumed.
He warned political actors who may be exploiting the crisis for personal or partisan gains to refrain from such actions, saying, “We have mechanisms in place to uncover those complicit in the destruction of our state.”
“I want to condemn all forms of criminality in the state, a terrorist is a terrorist regardless of his or her ethnicity or religion. Crime is crime. Anyone who commits it is a terrorist and should not be among the living,” he declared.
Governor Alia, however, encouraged the people of Benue to remain resilient, assuring them of his administration’s unwavering commitment to restoring peace and order across the state.
Reflecting on the lessons of Easter, the governor described the death and resurrection of Christ as the ultimate example of selfless sacrifice, and he called on the people to pray for the repose of those recently killed, especially the innocent victims in the Ukum and Logo local government areas.
While insisting that everyone is responsible for security, the governor said, “If you see something, say something to enable the security agencies to move swiftly and stop these invaders.”
