Christian Genocide: I Never Denied That My People Were Killed – Hyacinth Alia

The governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, has stated that his ‘no genocide in Benue’ statement was misrepresented.

Alia had on Thursday in Abuja said that the insecurity challenges facing the state should not be classified as genocide.

The ‘no genocide in Benue’ statement has generated criticism from various quarters within and outside the state.

Shedding more light on his claim, while speaking to the Government House press crew after a closed-door meeting with renowned author Wole Soyinka, he lamented that the misinterpretation of his statement had caused unnecessary confusion.

The governor explained that the public appeared not to understand the proper context and global meaning of terms such as genocide.

He argued that discussions around genocide must be based on the United Nations’ definition and historical context, noting that many people were using the word loosely without considering its origin, interpretation or the criteria that qualify an event as genocide.

According to him, “I never denied that my people were killed. I remain very firm that we have bandits and terrorists who come fully organised to destroy, maim and kill. I have consistently, yes, religiously, stated that their aim is land grabbing. This did not begin as anything religious.

“The crisis began as farmer–herder conflicts before escalating into full-blown banditry and terrorism.

“Several people from different faith backgrounds have suffered losses. So, attempts to frame the killings as religiously motivated are misleading and harmful.”