— Governor Attributes Crisis to External Armed Forces, Says FG Fully Supporting Peace Efforts
President Bola Tinubu has held a crucial peace meeting with Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, in a renewed effort to end the spate of killings in the state.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Governor Alia confirmed that the President summoned both leaders following public concerns over the unrest in the state and alleged tensions between the two political figures.
“President Tinubu is not wrong to ask us to find common ground for peace,” Alia said. “He invited the SGF and me because of what he was hearing from the public. He wanted to know if there was any issue between us.”
The governor emphasized that there is no rift between him and Akume, who served as Benue’s governor from 1999 to 2007. “The SGF himself confirmed that there are no differences between us. And if there were any before, going forward, there will be no problems at all. Our traditional rulers can sleep peacefully,” he added.
Alia attributed the persistent violence in parts of Benue to external armed groups, describing the situation as complex and heavily influenced by forces outside the state.
“We can handle internal local government issues, but the real problem is with outsiders coming in armed with AK-47 and AK-49 rifles,” he stated.
Contrary to reports suggesting a lack of federal intervention, the governor praised the Tinubu administration for its backing in restoring order across affected communities.
“If President Tinubu didn’t understand what was happening, he wouldn’t be giving us full support. Out of 23 local governments, 17 were under siege. We’ve reduced that number to nine, then six, and now just three,” Alia said. “That progress was possible because of the support from the Federal Government.”
The development comes amid growing pressure on the federal and state governments to address security concerns and ensure lasting peace in Benue, a state that has seen years of deadly attacks largely blamed on armed herders and criminal gangs.
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