Alia Identifies Foreign Armed Herders as Source of Latest Benue Violence
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State says armed herders entering the state without cattle are behind the recent wave of deadly attacks that have claimed hundreds of lives.
Speaking on Channels Television on Monday, Alia said the assailants, often carrying AK-47 and AK-49 rifles, infiltrate Benue through neighbouring Nasarawa State and sometimes from across the Cameroon border.
“What we experience, generally, is that the herd are not being brought in but those who are in the frontline fighting out here are only carrying AK-47 and AK-49,” he said.
The recent violence, which claimed over 100 lives in Yelewata and Daudu communities of Guma LGA on June 14, has raised the death toll to more than 200 by Sunday, sparking nationwide outrage.
Alia described the situation as having evolved beyond the traditional farmers-herders crisis, noting that armed men have now hijacked the conflict.
“We tagged them the armed herdsmen,” he said. “What are their aims? They don’t even come with cows. They attack, kill, and after one week, some people now come back to occupy.”
The governor warned that the attackers are often not Nigerians and accused some community insiders of enabling the violence.
“A thief will not just come to a community unless there is someone within the community who leads the thief to your house or the community,” he said.
“That is the situation on the ground.”
