Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has raised alarm over the deteriorating security situation in the state, declaring that Benue is currently "under siege" from terrorists and bandits carrying out coordinated attacks across various communities.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television's Politics Today on Friday, Governor Alia emphasized that the recent wave of violence goes beyond the traditional herders-farmers clashes that have historically plagued the region.
Coordinated Terrorist Operations
"We are under siege. The way these attacks come and the intel we receive, it is a directed calibrated plan and then executed," the governor stated, highlighting the sophisticated nature of the assaults.
Governor Alia revealed that intelligence reports have proven increasingly accurate, with 60 to 65 percent of received information correctly predicting attacks. "And then when you realise what is going on, it is beyond just conflict, it is beyond just an ethnic fight between herders and farmers in our state, it is directed, it is planned and then it is executed, it is some terrorism," he added.
The Catholic priest-turned-politician described the attackers as specialized killers who employ guerrilla warfare tactics, striking communities at night and disappearing without a trace, making it nearly impossible to apprehend them.
Recent Escalation of Violence
BenriNews reports that several local government areas in Benue have experienced violent attacks in recent weeks, resulting in numerous casualties. On Friday evening, suspected armed herdsmen launched a fresh attack on the Makurdi–Naka road, with fears of multiple fatalities and injuries.
The governor's statements come amid growing concerns about the security situation in the Middle Belt region, where communal conflicts have increasingly taken on characteristics of organized terrorism rather than traditional resource-based disputes.
"It is beyond just an ethnic fight between herders and farmers in our state, it is directed, it is planned and then it is executed, it is some terrorism." - Governor Hyacinth Alia
Security experts have noted that the changing nature of these attacks presents new challenges for state and federal security agencies, requiring more sophisticated counter-terrorism strategies rather than conventional conflict resolution approaches.
The Benue State government continues to work with security agencies to address the escalating crisis, though the governor's statements suggest that current measures may be insufficient to counter the organized nature of the attacks.
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