By Mike Odeh James
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has sharply criticised Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, accusing him of denying the existence of what the group describes as a religiously targeted genocide in the state.
In a strongly worded press statement issued on Thursday and signed by its spokesman, Luka Binniyat, the MBF said it received with “shock” the governor’s recent remarks suggesting that there was no religious genocide taking place in Benue. The Forum described Alia’s comments as “an insult” to victims of years of mass killings and displacement.
The group reminded the governor of his own viral video from 20 April 2025, in which he stated that Benue was under “well targeted, well planned and religiously executed” attacks by terrorists. “To now deny this reality is a crude distortion of truth,” the statement said. “It is a grave disservice to survivors who wake every morning under the shadow of slaughter.”
Citing the UN Genocide Convention, the MBF argued that patterns of attacks in Benue and other Middle Belt communities—predominantly Christian farming populations—fit the international definition of genocide. The Forum described years of killings, village burnings, sexual violence, and mass displacement as evidence of “systematic destruction” carried out by Fulani Ethnic Militia (FEM).
The MBF also faulted the widespread use of terms like “clashes” or “conflict” to describe the violence. “Clashes imply parity,” the group said. “What we see are unarmed communities attacked in their homes, markets and farmlands, with entire villages razed.”
They further accused Governor Alia of attempting to undermine growing international scrutiny over Nigeria’s handling of attacks on Christian communities. This comes amid the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa’s open hearing examining President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over Christian persecution.
The Forum pointed to official and independent figures illustrating the scale of violence in Benue. State emergency officials reported 5,138 deaths between 2015 and March 2023, with more killings recorded since. Human-rights groups and UN agencies have documented repeated mass-casualty incidents in 2024–2025, including attacks in which scores to hundreds were killed in single nights.
The MBF said displacement figures are equally alarming. Amnesty International, UN partners and humanitarian organisations recorded more than 500,000 Benue residents forced from their homes by late 2024. Updated 2025 figures indicate that the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has continued to rise sharply.
“These numbers speak,” the Forum said. “To deny the reality behind them is to deny the visible suffering of mothers, fathers and children living in camps.”
The statement also challenged Governor Alia’s reference to his priesthood in defence of his position. “Faith is not a cloak for denial,” the MBF said, adding that the governor must fulfil his duty to protect communities, prosecute attackers and allow independent investigations.
The Forum issued four demands:
- That Governor Alia stop “trivialising mass killings” with euphemisms;
- Accept independent investigations into whether crimes committed in Benue meet international definitions;
- Call for stronger humanitarian access and protection measures;
- Desist from making statements that “mislead the nation and world.”
“The victims of Benue deserve truth, protection and justice,” the statement concluded. “History will not remember those who used faith to hide failure.”
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