By James Isaac, Abuja
Amid rising insecurity and loss of lives across Benue State, members of the Benue State Caucus in the National Assembly have called on Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia to end the blame game and focus on the real business of governance.
Addressing journalists on Thursday, June 12, 2025, the federal lawmakers comprising serving Senators and House of Representatives members from the state — expressed grave concern over what they described as the governor’s “political hibernation” and inability to provide clear-cut policy solutions to the escalating violence in Benue.
They accused Governor Alia of resorting to name-calling and character assassination instead of taking proactive steps to secure the state. This follows the governor’s recent allegations that some Abuja-based politicians were sponsoring Fulani militias to attack communities, destroy farmland, and displace residents all in a bid to undermine his administration.
The Caucus described the governor’s allegations as baseless and reckless, pointing out that instead of engaging constructively, Alia has ignored sincere efforts made by the legislators to draw national attention to the plight of Benue people. They cited instances where Senators Emmanuel Udende and Abba Moro raised motions on the floor of the Senate about the killings, only for the governor to dismiss their efforts as misleading.
They also noted Alia’s continued refusal to implement the Open Grazing Prohibition Law, despite Senate resolutions urging him to enforce the law following a bill sponsored by Senator Titus Zam. Particularly troubling, the lawmakers said, was the governor’s public denial of killings in the state since taking office in May 2023 — a claim they described as deceptive and insensitive.
They recalled a disturbing statement by the governor during a church service in Ikpayongo, where he claimed there had been no killings since he assumed office. Yet, attacks in communities like Bonta (Konshisha LGA) and Ukpute (Oju LGA) were merely described by the governor as “skirmishes.” More worrisome, they said, was Alia’s accusation on national television that members of the Benue Caucus were behind the violence.
“Never in the history of Benue has a governor spoken so carelessly on matters concerning the lives and property of the people,” the lawmakers stated. “In one breath, he alleges land grabbing; in another, he defends the attackers as foreigners protected by ECOWAS protocols.”
They emphasized that, unlike governors in other conflict-ridden states such as Borno and Plateau, Governor Alia has not meaningfully engaged with the Federal Government or mobilized coordinated response efforts, suggesting, according to them, that he may have been compromised in the run-up to the 2023 elections.
The Caucus, therefore, demanded the following:
1. That Governor Alia immediately retract his statement and publicly apologize to members of the Benue Caucus in the National Assembly.
2. That the Inspector General of Police launch a thorough investigation into the governor’s allegations and present findings to the people of Benue and Nigeria.
3. That the governor urgently settle down to real governance, end the blame games, and desist from using non-state actors to intimidate political opponents.
The lawmakers reiterated their commitment to protecting the interests of Benue citizens and called for urgent, sincere leadership to halt the state’s descent into chaos.
