There are killings in Benue, but it is not genocide — Gov Alia clarifies earlier statement on insecurity

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has clarified his recent comments on the nature of violence in the state, insisting that while the killings are deeply troubling, they do not amount to genocide.

Alia made the clarification following strong public reactions to remarks he delivered on Wednesday during a National Human Rights Commission policy consultation in Abuja. At the event, he had stated, “In my State of Benue, we don’t have any religious, any ethnic, any racial, any national, or state genocide. We don’t have that. Do we have a number of insecurities in the State? Yes, we do, but it is not genocide.”

The comments sparked debate, with many interpreting his position as downplaying the scale of the crisis. In a statement issued on Friday by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dr. Peter Oboh Egbodo, the governor said his intention was not to diminish the pain of victims or the severity of the attacks.

According to the commissioner, Alia’s remarks were aimed at ensuring accurate classification of the violence. “The governor’s position is to avoid framing the killings solely as religiously motivated and to ensure security responses are properly guided,” the statement said.

It added that describing the violence as genocide could hinder ongoing interventions, stressing that the conflict is “multifaceted, involving criminality, land-use disputes, and targeted violent incidents,” which require coordinated intelligence-driven action.

The statement noted that the governor remains deeply concerned about the suffering across all affected communities, saying Alia has intensified cooperation with security agencies, supported displaced residents, and pushed for stronger federal security presence. It also highlighted long-term strategies his administration has initiated to address root causes of the unrest.

Dr. Egbodo urged the public to view the governor’s comments “within the broader context of his efforts to restore peace and end the cycle of violence in Benue State.”