Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has raised alarm over the identity of attackers behind a fresh wave of killings in the state, claiming they are foreign nationals who speak unfamiliar languages. His remarks, made during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, come as the death toll from recent violence continues to rise.
“These folks are coming in fully armed with AK-47s and 49s. They do not bear the Nigerian look. They don’t speak like we do,” Governor Alia stated. “Even the Hausa they speak is one sort of Hausa. It’s not the normal Hausa we Nigerians speak. Some of our people who understand what they speak call them Malians. They are not Nigerians.”
The governor emphasized that the attackers’ behavior and the way the killings are executed suggest they are part of a coordinated effort. “The way these killings are being planned and carried out is definitely coordinated,” he added. “Some local government areas in Benue share borders with Cameroon, and those borders are quite porous.”
Alia also pointed to intelligence reports suggesting that the attackers may have hideouts in neighboring states like Taraba and Nasarawa, as well as in Cameroon. “These terrorists have their havens in Taraba, Nasarawa, and in border regions of Cameroon,” the governor revealed.
Governor Alia’s comments echo those made two weeks ago by Plateau State Governor Caleb Muftwang, who also expressed concerns about the origins of attackers in his state. “Some of them cannot even speak any Nigerian language,” Muftwang remarked. “It’s not just the locals causing this; some are non-Nigerians, migrating from the northwest into places like Bauchi and Plateau.”
The recent killings have intensified fears in the region, with over 60 communities in Plateau already overtaken by invaders, and at least 72 lives lost in Benue since the latest attacks.
Governor Alia has called for urgent federal intervention, appealing directly to President Bola Tinubu’s administration to restore peace and protect citizens.
In response to the escalating violence, Christian groups in Plateau have organized a peace walk, while the federal government has increased security efforts, including heightened patrols during the Easter period.
