Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has dismissed mounting calls for residents to take up arms in self-defence following the latest spate of deadly attacks in the state, urging communities instead to rally behind efforts to strengthen community policing structures.
Speaking during an interview on AIT News on Tuesday, Governor Alia responded to the renewed violence that has left over 100 people dead in coordinated assaults across multiple local government areas. He called for restraint and cautioned against emotionally charged reactions that could worsen insecurity.
“I should carry, and I think that would make some very good common sense,” Alia said, referencing the temptation to resort to self-defence. “But where you have people who just decide to work up because of sentiments and emotions that are attached to what is happening with us and within us, I think we’re rendering ourselves a bit more vulnerable. So, I wouldn’t advocate for self-defence.”
Rather than endorsing retaliatory action, the governor reiterated his belief that community-based security remains the most viable approach to address the state’s security crisis.
“I would encourage us all to keep calling for community policing because it’s the only way. It’s only people from within the state and the local government who would understand what is going on with them,” he explained.
The governor’s comments follow the reported killing of more than 100 individuals in a two-day assault allegedly carried out by armed herdsmen. The affected areas include Guma Local Government Area and several neighbouring communities. Local sources claim the actual death toll may be higher, with many victims still unaccounted for.
The killings have drawn nationwide condemnation and sparked renewed calls for the federal government to declare a state of emergency in Benue.
Governor Alia pointed out that external security operatives often lack the intimate local knowledge necessary to respond effectively to such crises, further underscoring the need for a grassroots-led security architecture.
His remarks come amid rising frustration among residents, with civil society groups and prominent figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, demanding swift action and justice for victims of the attacks.
