- Soyinka urged Nigerian leaders to be cautious with foreign assistance as he warned it could worsen security challenges
- The Nobel laureate criticised past failures to stop killings and visited Benue to inspect projects and IDP camps
- Governor Alia clarified his earlier comments on the crisis and cautioned journalists against politicising the violence
Makurdi, Benue state – Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has urged Nigerian leaders to exercise caution in accepting foreign assistance.
This, he warned that unchecked external interventions could further complicate the nation’s deepening security crisis.
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Soyinka made the remarks on Friday, November 23, at the Government House in Makurdi after a closed-door meeting with Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, during his visit to the state.
Soyinka warns against careless foreign support
Speaking to journalists, the globally renowned writer said Nigeria must thoroughly scrutinise offers of international help before accepting them.
“We must be careful with foreign interventions. Not every form of assistance solves the problem. Some worsen it. Our leaders need to be vigilant and discerning,” he said.
Soyinka recalled that under the previous federal administration, Benue state became a “hub for terrorists” in the North Central region, accusing former President Muhammadu Buhari of failing to stop the killings.
“I was among the few who challenged the administration’s policies. What happened here was unacceptable,” he stated.
Nobel laureate visits IDP camps and project sites
Soyinka said he returned to Benue to follow up on educational materials he had donated during an earlier visit when many displaced children were out of school.
He later toured parts of Makurdi to inspect ongoing infrastructural projects of the Alia administration and visited several internally displaced persons (IDP) camps to commiserate with families affected by violence.
Alia clarifies controversial comments
Addressing journalists, Governor Alia dismissed claims that he denied killings in Benue, insisting that his previous comments were misinterpreted.
He said discussions around the term ‘genocide’ must align with its United Nations definition and historical context, adding that many people used the term inaccurately.
“My earlier remarks about attackers ‘executing their plans religiously’ was an idiomatic expression.
“I never denied that my people were killed. I remain firm that we have bandits and terrorists who come fully organised to destroy, maim and kill,” he explained.
The governor said the conflict began as farmer-herder clashes before escalating into organised banditry and terrorism, noting that victims came from diverse backgrounds.
“Both Muslims and Christians have been killed. Attempts to frame this as purely religious are misleading and dangerous,” he said.
Benue gov warns media against politicising killings
Alia urged journalists to avoid amplifying misinterpretations or politicising the crisis, saying poor reporting could heighten tensions.
“You journalists are not weapons of mass destruction; you are weapons of societal construction. One phone call can clarify an issue. Don’t confuse the entire society,” he said.
He emphasised that every life lost weighs heavily on him as governor and cautioned against reducing the crisis to a single narrative.
“The situation is multi-sectoral. Don’t reduce it to religion. Benue has suffered violence and displacement, which explains the large number of IDP camps today,” he stressed.
Alia outlines development efforts
On development, Alia said his administration had awarded several arterial road projects in Makurdi, with full construction scheduled to begin next week following the completion of preliminary works.
He commended Professor Soyinka for his “genuine concern” and for visiting to assess the state’s progress.
Source: Legit.ng
