Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu recently convened a high-level meeting with him and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to chart a peaceful course out of the persistent violence rocking the state.
Governor Alia made the revelation during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, shedding light on the Federal Government’s behind-the-scenes efforts to restore lasting peace in Benue.
“President Tinubu is not wrong to ask us to find common ground for peace,” Alia said, emphasizing the President’s personal involvement in addressing the crisis. “He invited the SGF and me because of what he was hearing from the public. He wanted to know if there was any issue between us.”
Alia dismissed speculations of a political rift between himself and Akume, who is a former governor of the state. “The SGF himself said there are no differences between us. And if there were any before, going forward, there will be no problems at all. Our traditional rulers can sleep peacefully,” he assured.
The governor pointed fingers at external actors for exacerbating the violence, revealing that armed outsiders continue to destabilize communities. “We have a complex situation that is being sponsored and controlled from somewhere. We can handle the internal local government issues, but the real problem is with outsiders coming in armed with AK-47 and AK-49 rifles,” Alia lamented.
Addressing perceptions of inadequate federal support, Governor Alia praised President Tinubu’s commitment to Benue’s security. “If President Tinubu didn’t understand what was happening, he wouldn’t be giving us full support,” he noted.
Highlighting the progress made in reclaiming occupied territories, Alia disclosed that out of 23 local government areas, 17 were previously under siege. “We reduced it to nine, then six, and now just three. That progress was possible because of the support from the Federal Government,” he said.
The violence in Benue has remained a major national concern, with clashes between armed groups, communal conflicts, and attacks on farming communities claiming numerous lives and displacing thousands. President Tinubu’s intervention signals renewed efforts by the Federal Government to broker peace and stabilize the region.
