The Benue State National Assembly Caucus has denied the allegation levelled against it by Governor Hyacinth Alia that members of the caucus are sponsoring attacks in the state.

Governor Alia, while speaking on national television, had alleged that “…some politicians who are very functional, and are in the National Assembly, and are in Abuja, are the architects and arrowheads of not just instigating but harbouring and keeping these people; keeping them in the bushes and taking care of all their bills and buying all the gadgets for them.”

In a statement issued on Thursday at the National Assembly, the caucus, speaking through the senator representing Benue South Senatorial District and Senate Minority Leader, Comrade Abba Patrick Abba, denied the allegation by the governor, describing it as baseless, reckless and irresponsible.

The statement, titled Alia’s Many Lies, reads in full:

“The Benue State Caucus of the National Assembly saw with consternation Governor Alia’s umbrage on the National Assembly members from Benue State on the security challenges confronting the state.

“Ordinarily, we had dismissed the rantings of the Governor as true to the character of a failed Governor. In the past, Governor Alia had characterized Benue National Assembly members as “bokoti” people which literally translates to “useless people,” when the National Assembly members raised serious concerns about the incapacity of the governor to frontally confront insecurity in Benue State that has rendered several Benue indigenes dead, injured many, destroyed properties worth billions of naira, disabled the people from farming and engaging in productive businesses.

“When Senators Emmanuel Udende and Abba Moro raised motions on the insecurity in Benue State, Governor Alia asserted that they were misleading the Senate and Nigerians on the security situation in Benue State. Similarly, the governor has blatantly refused to implement the Open Grazing Prohibition Law enacted by the Benue State House of Assembly, even when the Senate resolution to a bill sponsored by Senator Titus Zam directed him to implement the Open Grazing Prohibition Law of Benue State.

“Unfortunately, in a church service in Ikpayongo, Benue State, earlier this year, Governor Alia stated that there had been no killings in Benue State since he assumed office as governor in May 2023.

“When some citizens were killed in Bonta, in Konshisha LGA, and Ukpute in Oju LGA, Governor Alia characterized the happenings as “mere skirmishes.” Yet Governor Alia, in one of his irresponsible outings on national television, uncharitably accused members of the National Assembly from Benue State as sponsors and masterminds of the killings in Benue State.

“Never in the history of Benue State has a governor been known to speak from both sides of his mouth on issues, especially those that concern the lives and property of the people. In one breath, Governor Alia would allege that attacks against Benue communities are about land grabbing by the invaders; in another breath, the Governor would defend the attackers as foreigners protected by ECOWAS protocols to traverse ECOWAS member nations freely.

“Members of the Caucus of the National Assembly from Benue State, therefore, unequivocally and without any fear of contradiction, deny the allegation that they are sponsoring Fulani militia to attack and kill their people.

“Collectively and/or individually, members of the National Assembly have contributed immensely to the solution of the current situation and challenges bedevilling Benue State. No week passes by that members are not in their constituencies to bury and/or commiserate with their constituents who have lost their lives or loved ones, while the governor continues to stay in the comfort of Government House, Makurdi, until recently a whimper of condemnation of the perpetrators of these heinous crimes.

“The governor has not sufficiently demonstrated empathy for people killed allegedly by armed herdsmen. In some instances, as in the incident in Otukpo, the governor would rather condemn youths protesting the killing of their kith and kin than those responsible for the killing and sustained attacks on the armless and defenceless citizens of Benue State.

“In a characteristic demonstration of irresponsibility and show of lack of understanding of governance, and for the first time in the history of Nigeria, a governor in the full glare of a national television would accuse his people of killing their own people. What a sad and pathetic show of politics taken too far. What a shame that a governor would call his own members of the National Assembly from his state as “members of Shenanigans,” whatever that means.

“In other states with similar experiences like Borno and Plateau States, governors would acknowledge the plight of their people and appeal to the Federal Government for intervention — but not in Alia’s Benue State, apparently buttressing the allegations that Governor Alia was compromised in the run-up to the 2023 election.

“In consequence of the above, the Caucus of the National Assembly demands as follows:

“That the Governor should retract his words and apologize publicly to members of the Benue Caucus of the National Assembly.

“That the Inspector General of Police should, as a matter of urgency, investigate members of the Caucus of the National Assembly and report to the Benue and Nigerian people.

“Urge the governor, as a matter of urgency, to settle down for real governance, stop the blame games, and also stop moving with non-state actors to intimidate political opponents.”