Gov Hyacinth Alia Confirms Killings In Benue But Insists On Non-Religious Motives

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has clarified and submitted that although residents of the state have lost their lives during attacks by bandits, the killings however had non-religious motives..

He also noted that people misrepresented the comments he had earlier made in respect of the issue.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the governor, who made the clarification after a closed-door meeting with Professor Wole Soyinka in Makurdi, noted that it is important for members of the public to have a full understanding of terms like ‘genocide’.

Discussions around genocide must according to him be based on the United Nations’ definition and historical context, stressing that many people use the word loosely without considering its origin, its interpretation, or the criteria that can make people refer to something as genocide.

‘I never denied that my people were killed. I remain very firm that we have bandits and terrorists who come fully organized to destroy, maim and kill.

I have consistently, yes, religiously stated that their aim is land grabbing. This did not begin as anything religious’ he said.

The crisis, he noted, began as farmer-herder conflicts before graduating into full-blown banditry and terrorism while adding that people from different faith backgrounds had suffered losses.

Making attempts to describe the killings as religiously motivated are therefore according to him misleading and harmful.

The governor also urged journalists not to politicize the tragedy or amplify misinterpretations.

‘You journalists are great minds and great hands. You are not weapons of mass destruction; you are weapons of societal construction.

When something is unclear, one phone call can clarify it instead of confusing entire society’ he said.

Governor Alia lamented that every loss of life in Benue weighs heavily on him as governor and called on the public to avoid trivializing the suffering of the displaced families.

‘The situation is multi-sectoral. Don’t reduce it to religion. Both Muslims and Christians have been killed. Benue is the most populous Christian state in the North, so, naturally there are unspoken expectations, but let us not politicize people’s pain’ he added while commending Professor Soyinka for his genuine concern for the people of Benue State-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980. Thank you