Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has firmly dismissed claims suggesting the existence of religious genocide in the state. Speaking on Wednesday, the governor countered a narrative reportedly advanced by some officials of the United States government as part of efforts to categorize Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
Governor Alia stated that such allegations do not reflect the realities on the ground in Benue, emphasizing that the state enjoys relative harmony among its diverse groups.
“In my state of Benue, we don’t have any religious, any ethnic, any racial, any national or state genocide. We don’t have that,” he said.
He stressed that while Benue, like many states, faces security challenges, none of them fit the description or scale of genocide on religious or ethnic grounds.
The governor’s remarks come amid ongoing debates over Nigeria’s human rights and security record, with international bodies assessing whether religious or communal violence in parts of the country warrants additional monitoring or designation.
Alia reiterated his administration’s commitment to peace, coexistence, and security, urging both local and international observers to rely on verified facts rather than misinformation.
