Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has disclosed that foreign terrorists—not just herders—are now responsible for the increasing violence and killings in the state.
He noted that many of the assailants are heavily armed, do not herd cattle, and speak none of Nigeria’s indigenous languages, indicating their foreign origin.
Governor Alia also stressed that President Bola Tinubu has not neglected Benue State, highlighting that the Federal Government has been providing security personnel and resources to help combat the ongoing crisis.
He made these remarks during an interview on The Morning Brief program aired Monday on Channels Television.
Alia stated that federal support has helped reduce the number of local government areas being terrorised by armed attackers from 17 to just three.
He stated that after some recent deadly attacks, three federal security agencies were sent to Benue State, forcing the invaders to withdraw from areas they occupied.
Governor Alia expressed concern that the violence in Benue has gone beyond the traditional farmer-herder crisis.
According to him, many of the attackers are now “heavily armed and move without cattle,” which has led authorities to classify them as “armed herders” rather than traditional pastoralists.
He also warned that some locals may be collaborating with the attackers.
“Some of them are being aided by people within,” Alia noted.
The governor further raised alarm over the porous borders around Benue, saying: “We have serious security concerns along our borders with Cameroon, Taraba, and Nasarawa.”
He emphasized that many of the attackers are likely foreign nationals.
“They don’t speak any Nigerian dialect. Even if they are locally connected, they are not from the area,” he said.
Governor Alia also disclosed that he had discussed intelligence findings with Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule. “From our conversations and the intelligence reports shared, many of these terrorist activities are linked to foreign elements entering through Benue,” he added.
Recent months have seen a rise in violence in Benue State, especially in 2025.
On June 15, 2025, a night attack on the Yelewata community left 59 dead, including security personnel. There have been similar mass killings in Ukum, Logo, and Gwer West LGAs in April and May, with dozens of civilians murdered by suspected herders.
The violence has generated national outrage and international condemnation.
Pope Leo XIV called the Yelewata massacre an act of “extreme cruelty.”
Opposition leaders Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi also condemned the actions of ‘foreign criminals.’
