Malians Behind Insecurity in Benu- Gov. Alia Reveals

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has sounded the alarm over a disturbing new wave of violence in the state, attributing the attacks to heavily armed foreign elements who, he claims, are not Nigerians.

Speaking during an appearance on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Alia described the attackers as strange in both appearance and language, often identifying themselves as coming from Mali and carrying high-powered firearms such as AK-47s and AK-49s.

“These are not people we recognize,” Alia stated. “They don’t look like Nigerians. Even the languages they speak are foreign not the Hausa or Fulani we’re used to. Our people who understand bits of their dialects say they’re Malians.”

He emphasized that the nature of violence has changed significantly. While previous clashes often involved traditional herders wielding sticks, the current crisis is driven by highly armed and organized groups, suggesting a more sinister, transnational threat. “What we’re seeing now is not the first phase of the conflict. This is a coordinated invasion, these attackers hit and run, often retreating into nearby territories,” he said.

The governor highlighted the porous borders between Benue and neighboring countries like Cameroon as part of the problem, adding that intelligence sources have traced the attackers’ hideouts to parts of Taraba and Nasarawa States, as well as regions across the Cameroon border.

The increasing violence recently claimed the lives of at least 17 people in separate attacks on communities in the Logo and Ukum local government areas. According to the Benue State Police Command, armed militias stormed the Sankera axis last Thursday evening, wreaking havoc on the Gbagir area of Ukum and nearby Katsina-Ala in Logo.

Police spokesperson, Catherine Anene confirmed that tactical units had been dispatched following an order from Commissioner of Police, Steve Yabanet. Despite their response, 12 people were killed in Logo before police arrived, and another five from Ukum succumbed to injuries at the hospital.

“This was a simultaneous, well-coordinated attack,” Anene said. “While our officers managed to repel some of the attackers, innocent farmers were caught in the ambush and killed during their early morning activities.”

Yabanet has since issued a warning against the spread of unverified information on social media, urging residents to remain calm and support ongoing security operations in the region.

Benue has long been plagued by violence largely attributed to armed herdsmen, but recent developments point to a more complex and possibly international dimension to the conflict. According to SBM Intelligence, the continued bloodshed has displaced over 300,000 residents, deepening the humanitarian crisis in the state.

As security efforts intensify, residents are once again calling on the federal government for decisive intervention to end the cycle of killings and restore peace to the region.