Benue Governor Alleges Foreign Involvement in Killings, Says Attackers Are Malians, Not Nigerians

As violence escalates in Benue State, Governor Hyacinth Alia has made a bold claim that could reshape the narrative around the herdsmen crisis.


Governor Hyacinth Alia has stated that the perpetrators of recent deadly attacks in Benue State are not Nigerian citizens but foreign nationals, specifically from Mali.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Alia described the attackers as heavily armed individuals who do not resemble or speak like the indigenous Fulani people of Nigeria. He emphasized that the version of Hausa and Fulani these assailants speak is unfamiliar and distinct from Nigerian dialects.

“We can recognize our own ethnic groups—be it Fulani, Hausa, or Yoruba,” the governor said. “But these attackers, armed with AK-47s and other rifles, neither look like Nigerians nor speak our languages in a familiar way.”

Governor Alia revealed that intelligence from locals who understand the attackers’ language points to them being Malians. He insisted that these individuals differ in appearance and behavior from traditional herders who are typically seen with cattle and sticks—not guns.

Benue State has suffered multiple assaults from armed herders, especially in areas like Otukpo, Ado, and Logo, leading to countless deaths and displacement. The governor’s statement adds a new dimension to the ongoing security challenge in the region, raising concerns about cross-border infiltration and regional instability.



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