Makurdi, Nigeria — Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has made explosive allegations, claiming that certain serving politicians in the National Assembly are behind the persistent attacks and bloodshed ravaging communities across the state.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Governor Alia described the situation as “extremely unacceptable,” accusing unnamed high-ranking federal lawmakers of sponsoring and supporting armed groups behind the violence.
“It is very, very unsettling because top politicians who are very functional and are in the National Assembly and are in Abuja are the architects and arrowheads — not just instigating, but harbouring and keeping these people,” the governor alleged. “They feed them in the bushes, take care of all their needs, and buy them gadgets.”
Governor Alia’s remarks follow the submission of an interim report by a judicial panel of inquiry set up by his administration to investigate the root causes of incessant attacks in the state. The report, according to the governor, has already implicated several “big names,” although he refrained from mentioning them publicly.
He promised that decisive action would follow once the final report is submitted early next week.
“We set up a judicial panel to sort out for us why we kept having attacks from within and from without,” Alia said. “Between Tuesday and Wednesday next week, I am going to get a full report from the panel.”
The governor’s revelation comes on the heels of yet another bloody incident on Friday, in which several persons were feared dead and many others injured following an ambush by suspected armed herdsmen along the Makurdi–Naka road.
The Makurdi–Naka axis has reportedly remained under the control of armed Fulani militia groups for weeks, raising serious concerns about the effectiveness of federal security interventions. Despite repeated assurances from the military and federal authorities, attacks have continued unabated.
Governor Alia emphasized that his priority remains the protection of lives and property in Benue State and warned that political ambition should never come at the expense of innocent lives.
“If they do not love the lives of the people and are only fighting for their own position, I think I am serving the interest of the common masses,” he declared.
The governor’s statement has sparked widespread reactions across the country, with many calling for immediate investigations and action by security agencies.
As Benue continues to bleed from incessant violence, all eyes are now on the upcoming full report from the judicial panel — and whether the governor will match his strong words with firm action.
