Benue killings may be reprisals – Gov Alia backs Tinubu’s statement

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has described the ongoing attacks on some parts of Benue State as possible reprisal attacks launched by suspected armd herders using known routes from neighbouring Nasarawa State.

Alia was responding to a comment made by President Bola Tinubu on Sunday, who described the attacks in Benue as reprisals.

Speaking on the security situation in an interview with Channels Television, Alia confirmed that the attackers were not only operating from outside the state but had also found hideouts within Nasarawa territory.

“When you come to the Nasarawa axis, that is where we are having the challenges. Yes, we’ve confirmed that a number of them are hiding within Nasarawa State,”; he said.

According to him, there are well-known routes used by the armed men to move in and out of Benue, especially when they are dislodged from other locations.

“So, anytime they are driven out from one area, they simply shift to another. What we’re witnessing today, if someone describes it as reprisal attacks, we wouldn’t entirely disagree,”; he said.

“I spoke with the Governor of Nasarawa to see how we could synergize. I wanted to know if he had access to any fresh intelligence that we might not have here in Benue, which we could act upon.

“He told me he had received information that the terrorists had passed through his territory, entered Yelewata to launch the attack. He also said that one woman was attacked and macheted in Nasarawa State,”; Alia added.