Some religious leaders fueling Benue crisis — Alia

Following heightened Benue crisis, the State Governor, Rev Fr. Hyacinth Alia on Thursday, shifted the escalation of insecurity in the state to some religious leaders.

He described such people as ‘religious bandits’.

Alia stated this while addressing some youths under the aegis of pro-Tinubu/Alia support groups who converged on the entrance of the seat of government in Makurdi, the state capital to drum support for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia’s second term.

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Alia had earlier accused Abuja politicians of escalating the Benue crisis.

The governor said that some leaders were fanning embers of discord which he said was preventing peace from returning to the state.

He stated that the religious leaders had been using the alters to fuel crisis through their statements and urged them to stop.

According to him, “There are some self-acclaimed leaders who only fan the embers of discord so that peace does not return to here. There are some religious leaders, I call them religious bandits who are fueling the bad experiences we are having here. And how they support that.

“By their own rhetorics, by what they speak; if you don’t have the facts on Benue and Nigeria, shut up! Don’t just say something because you have the holy alters or the podium to speak.

“Speak what you know, speak what can be verified, and speak what you represent and stand for for always.

The governor promised that his administration would not rest until total peace returns to the state especially, in the six local government areas on the frontline of insecurity.

He said, “I’m confident that with the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu gives to us, we are going to get done with insecurity completely in Benue State.

He also commended the traditional rulers and other people who he said were making frantic efforts to ensure that peace returns to the state.

“Our people in the state are suffering so much, their sorrow is our sorrow, those of us who have chosen and taken an oath to defend them, protect them, and bring back peace, I’m inviting all of us, all the good people in the state as we reflect on this great day, as we celebrate those who have failed Nigeria today, let our conscience remind us of that what unites us is bigger than what divides us.

Governor Alia also paid tribute to those who fought for the enthronement of democracy in the country both living and death, governor Alia said their struggles will never be in vain.

He said, “We are here today because of what some people went through to ensure the enthronement of democracy in the country, these sacrificed for the democracy we are enjoying today, we are indebted to them”.