No Religious Genocide in Benue — Gov Alia

…Governor Alia, a Catholic priest turned politician, made the remarks at a consultative forum on protecting the rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDPs), organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Abuja.

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, on Wednesday dismissed claims suggesting the existence of religious genocide in the state, rejecting a narrative reportedly promoted by officials of the United States government as grounds for classifying Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.

“In my state of Benue, we don’t have any religious, ethnic, racial, national or state genocide. We don’t have that.

“Do we have insecurity in the state? Yes, we do. But it is not genocide. Anyone making such claims should… check the United Nations definition of the term,” he said.

Mr Alia, who served as a Catholic priest before venturing into politics, made the comments during a forum focused on safeguarding the rights of IDPs and FDPs, hosted by the NHRC in Abuja.

He further insisted that no jihad is taking place in any part of Nigeria, despite declarations by two major terror groups — Boko Haram and ISWAP — outlining ambitions to impose Islamic rule within their territories based on distorted interpretations of the Quran that scholars widely dismiss as lacking credibility.

While Boko Haram aims to establish an Islamic state within Nigeria, ISWAP seeks a wider caliphate across West Africa aligned with ISIS.

“We do not have any jihad in Nigeria,” Governor Alia reaffirmed. “I’m speaking to you as a reverend father and as a governor. If there were any, especially in my state or anywhere in Nigeria, I would be the first to raise the alarm.”

His comments come amid heightened international scrutiny over allegations of targeted persecution and killings of Christians in Nigeria.

Nigeria came under the global spotlight following claims that preceded and followed its designation as a Country of Particular Concern by the United States, accompanied by threats from President Donald Trump to deploy troops to Nigeria to protect Christians.

However, Nigerian authorities, top government officials, and prominent religious leaders have consistently denied the existence of genocide. Although the country grapples with widespread insecurity, the government insists it is not directed at any religious group. A BBC investigation also found that data cited by US officials to support claims of Christian genocide could not be independently verified.

Both Christian and Muslim communities have suffered fatalities in Nigeria’s pervasive insecurity, driven by weak governance, resource conflicts, banditry, and other factors.

Nigeria was first listed as a Country of Particular Concern during Donald Trump’s presidency, but the designation was later removed under President Joe Biden.

Interface with US Embassy

Speaking further at the event, Governor Alia disclosed that he had visited the US Embassy in Nigeria to clarify security issues affecting Benue State.

“It is on record that I met with the American ambassador to explain that neither in Nigeria nor specifically in Benue State is there any genocide. Unless my understanding — and the United Nations definition — is misunderstood, the situation does not meet the criteria,” he said.

Benue State has grappled with severe security challenges since 2009, including mass killings across various communities. According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), over the past two years more than 800 people have been killed and nearly 400 abducted in the state.

On June 14, coordinated and highly organised attacks targeted residents of Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area, resulting in the deaths of over 100 people.