Benue under siege — politicians are architects of the attacks, says Alia

Hyacinth Alia, governor of Benue, has accused politicians and unnamed members of the national assembly of sponsoring violent attacks in the state.

There has been a significant uptick in insecurity in Benue since the start of the year, with hundreds killed in violent attacks in several communities.

Speaking on Friday on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Alia said an interim report of a judicial panel he set up showed that politicians were orchestrating the attacks.

Alia said he would take decisive action once the full report of the panel is presented in the coming week.

The governor said the attacks are beyond herder-farmer clashes, adding that the state is currently under siege from bandits.

“We set up a judicial panel to sort out for us why we kept having attacks from within and from without and we have received an interim report. Between Tuesday and Wednesday next week, I am going to get a full report from the panel,” Alia said.

“It is very unsettling because some politicians who are very functional, and are in the national assembly, and are in Abuja, are the architects and arrowheads of not just instigating but harbouring and keeping these people; keeping them in the bushes and taking care of all their bills and buying all the gadgets for them. 

“This is extremely unacceptable. If they do not like the lives of the people and are fighting for their own political position, I think I am serving the interest of the common masses and it is my right to protect them. 

“We are under siege, the way these attacks come and the intel we receive, it is a directed, calibrated plan and then executed.”