Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia Rejects Religious Genocide Claims, Says No Jihad in Nigeria
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has rejected claims of religious genocide in the state, responding to reports reportedly raised by some US officials advocating for Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern.
Speaking at a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) forum in Abuja on the protection of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDPs), Alia said allegations of religious or ethnic cleansing in Benue are inaccurate.
The governor’s remarks come amid growing international scrutiny over claims of religious persecution and attacks targeting Christians in Nigeria, with US President Donald Trump previously warning of potential military action over accusations of Christian genocide.
“In Benue State, we don’t have any religious, ethnic, racial, national, or state genocide. That simply is not the case,” Alia said.
While acknowledging security challenges in the state, he stressed that these incidents do not qualify as genocide under United Nations definitions.
A former Catholic priest, Alia also dismissed suggestions that jihadist campaigns are active in Nigeria, despite the ambitions of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) to impose extremist Islamic rule.
“We do not have any jihad in Nigeria,” he affirmed, adding, “If there were any, particularly in my state or elsewhere in the country, I would have been the first to speak out.”
