President Bola Tinubu recently met with Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume to discuss strategies for restoring peace amid ongoing violence in the state.
Governor Alia revealed the meeting during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday. He said President Tinubu initiated the dialogue after receiving public reports about tensions and wanted to ensure unity between key stakeholders.
“President Tinubu asked us to meet so we could find common ground and promote peace,” Alia explained. “He invited the SGF and me to address any perceived issues between us, but I assured him there’s no rift.”
Alia emphasized that even if any disagreement had existed in the past, both he and Akume have resolved to work together harmoniously moving forward. “Our traditional rulers can now sleep peacefully,” he added.
The governor blamed external actors for escalating the violence, noting, “The crisis is being orchestrated and funded from outside the state. While we can handle local issues, armed outsiders are our biggest challenge.”
Alia also defended the Federal Government’s role in addressing the crisis. “President Tinubu has shown full support,” he said. “Out of 23 local governments, 17 were under siege. With federal backing, we’ve reduced that number to just three.”
