Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has denied reports of religious or ethnic genocide in the state, responding to claims that had drawn international attention, including from US officials.

Speaking at a forum on the protection of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and forcibly displaced persons (FDPs) organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Abuja, Alia acknowledged that the state faces security challenges but stressed that these do not qualify as genocide under UN definitions.

He also rejected assertions of jihadist activity in Benue, despite the known presence of groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP. “If there were any such activity in my state or anywhere in Nigeria, I would have been the first to speak out,” he said.

Alia, a former Catholic priest, maintained that Benue remains free from religious or ethnic cleansing, emphasizing that the state’s security issues should not be conflated with claims of targeted persecution.