Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has described interventions by the Federal Government and the United States as “very helpful” in tackling persistent insecurity in Benue State and other parts of the North-Central region.
Alia made the disclosure on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, where he also called for stronger collaboration among states in the region to develop a coordinated approach to addressing insecurity.
The governor said the North-Central region needed to move beyond reacting to attacks after they occurred and instead focus on identifying the sources of insecurity, preventing violence and bringing those responsible to justice.
“We need peace in our region. We need to get into the sources where we are very vulnerable, and their acts are continuing. We need to know those who are responsible for this,” Alia said.
He also expressed concern over what he described as fragmented responses to insecurity, stressing that states within the region must work together to protect their people and communities.
According to him, the coming together of North-Central states should strengthen their collective responsibility to protect lives, secure communities and create an environment conducive to economic development.
Alia argued that no state in the region could afford to remain indifferent to insecurity affecting neighbouring states, noting that violence in one state could eventually threaten the wider region.
“So, if you belong to the region and you seemingly comfortable while the others are not, then we cannot talk as a common entity,” he said.
The governor maintained that the North-Central region possessed significant economic potential but could not fully harness its resources without peace and security.
He acknowledged the efforts of the Federal Government in responding to attacks in Benue, particularly the deployment of additional military formations and security personnel to areas affected by persistent violence.
“The intervention by the United States was very, very helpful to us. We must say the fact as it is, and the interventions that the federal government has been doing is very supportive of us,” Alia said.
He disclosed that one of the military divisions recently established by President Bola Tinubu would cover Benue, Kogi and Nasarawa states, with its headquarters expected to be located in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
“In fact, one of the divisions that Mr President created as a state here, we also have one that would cover Benue, Kogi, and Nasarawa. It should be headquartered right here in Benue, Makurdi,” the governor said.
Alia further explained that troops would be deployed to communities that had experienced repeated attacks, while other security units would be stationed at strategic locations across the region.
“Most of the places where we have been having these persistent attacks, a number of battalions would be stationed there, and certain units would also spring up in different other locations,” he said.
The governor stressed that the deployment of security personnel should be complemented by intelligence gathering and preventive measures capable of stopping attacks before they occur.
He said the objective should be to identify vulnerable areas, understand the sources of violence and establish effective security mechanisms that would prevent further loss of lives and property.
Alia also addressed the ongoing debate over whether the killings in parts of northern Nigeria should be described as a Christian genocide.
He said there was broad agreement concerning the severity and scale of the killings, but noted that there remained differences over whether the violence should specifically be classified as Christian genocide.
The governor’s comments come amid continued concerns over attacks, killings and abductions in parts of the North-Central region, particularly Benue and neighbouring states.
He reiterated the need for greater cooperation among governments, security agencies and communities, stressing that sustained peace was essential for the region to unlock its economic potential and improve the welfare of its people.