The Benue State Government, through Commissioner Dr. Peter Oboh Egbodo, clarified Governor Hyacinth Alia’s recent comments regarding the killings in the state following public backlash.
Speaking at a policy consultation on November 19, 2025, Governor Alia had said, “In my State of Benue, we don’t have any religious, any ethnic, any racial, any national, or State genocide. We don’t have that,” acknowledging insecurity but denying it met the definition of genocide.
The Commissioner stated the Governor’s remarks were misunderstood and taken out of context, emphasizing that Alia did not intend to downplay the pain or loss of victims.
The clarification was aimed at ensuring accurate public reporting, as misrepresenting the conflict as purely religious could impede current multi-sectoral security interventions. The government stressed that the conflict is complex, involving criminality, land-use disputes, and targeted violence, requiring strategic, intelligence-driven responses beyond religious labeling.
The statement reaffirmed that the administration is not indifferent to the plight of any affected group, has intensified security collaboration, provided support to the displaced, and is working to address the root causes of the violence to restore peace.
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