Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has reaffirmed that he never dismissed the killings occurring across the state, clarifying that his comments were misinterpreted and stripped of context. He maintained that while the attacks are tragic, they carry no religious connotation.

The governor made the clarification in Makurdi over the weekend following a closed-door meeting with Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

He stressed that the public must properly understand global terminologies such as “genocide” and apply them according to the United Nations’ established definition and historical usage.

According to him, the term is often used without regard for its origins or the conditions that qualify an event as genocide. Governor Alia noted that this misuse largely contributed to the controversy surrounding his earlier statements.

He further explained that his phrase describing the attackers “executing their plans religiously” was purely idiomatic, akin to the use of “judiciously,” and had no connection to religion. The governor expressed disappointment that many misconstrued the expression, sparking unnecessary confusion.

According to him: “I never denied that my people were killed. I remain very firm that we have bandits and terrorists who come fully organised to destroy, maim and kill.

“I have consistently, yes, religiously stated that their aim is land grabbing. This did not begin as anything religious.”

Governor Alia emphasised that the conflict originally stemmed from farmer-herder tensions before escalating into full-scale banditry and terrorism.

He also highlighted that the victims cut across various faiths, making it misleading to frame the attacks as religiously motivated. He warned against twisting narratives for political gain or spreading interpretations that fuel division.

The governor lamented that each life lost in Benue leaves a profound impact on him, urging the public not to downplay the suffering of thousands of displaced families. He reminded citizens that the state hosts a large population of Internally Displaced Persons, forced from their homes by armed assailants.

According to him, “the situation is multi-sectoral. Don’t reduce it to religion. Both Muslims and Christians have been killed. Benue is the most populous Christian state in the North, so naturally there are unspoken expectations, but let us not politicise people’s pain.”

On infrastructure, Governor Alia revealed that his government had approved several key road contracts in Makurdi, with full construction activities scheduled to commence next week after the completion of preliminary work.

He also praised Professor Soyinka for his sincere interest in the plight of Benue residents and for taking the time to visit and assess the development strides in the state.