Benue: Governor Alia Raises Alarm Over Terrorists Attacks

Ufuoma Omorjirhe

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has raised the alarm the state is under siege from terrorists and bandits.

Alia described the recent attacks that have claimed several lives as invasion and beyond herders-farmers clash.

It will be recalled that there have been a surge in attacks in the state in recent weeks, with several local government areas experiencing violent onslaughts that have claimed numerous lives.

The governor, made this declaration on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, saying that the attacks are well planned and executed by terrorists.

“We are under siege,” he raised alarm

“The way these attacks come and the intel we receive, it is a directed calibrated plan and then executed.

“On a daily basis we are receiving those intel. Of late, each of those intel we receive, 60 to 65 per cent of it is quite accurate.

“And then when you realise what is going on, it is beyond just conflict, it is beyond just an ethnic fight between herders and farmers in our state, it is directed, it is planned and then it is executed, it is some terrorism,” he said.

The Catholic priest-turned politician insisted that he no longer views the attacks as a clash between farmers and herders, stating that they now involve specialized killers—terrorists who engage in a form of guerrilla warfare.

He said that for some reason, none of the killers was ever caught, adding that they come in the thick of the night, hit, run and nobody sees a trace.

Casualties were recorded as several persons were on Friday evening feared dead and many others injured after suspected armed herdsmen launched a fresh attack on the Makurdi–Naka road.