Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has dismissed claims circulating internationally that religious genocide is taking place in the state, insisting that while Benue faces serious security challenges, the situation does not amount to genocide.

Alia made the clarification at a consultative forum on the protection of the rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDPs), organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Abuja.

“In my state of Benue, we don’t have any religious, ethnic, racial, national or state genocide. We don’t have that.

“Do we have insecurity in the state? Yes, we do. But it is not genocide. Someone would need to check the United Nations’ definitions to understand this,” the governor said.

The governor, a Catholic priest before he was elected into office, also rejected suggestions that any form of jihad is underway in Benue or elsewhere in Nigeria.

“We do not have any jihad in Nigeria. I’m speaking to you as a reverend father and as a governor. If anything like that were happening in Benue or any part of Nigeria, I would be the first to raise the alarm,” he said.

His remarks come amid renewed global discussion about religious freedoms in Nigeria, including past attempts by United States officials to categorise Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged persecution of Christians.

Nigeria was first designated a CPC during the first term of President Donald Trump, but the designation was later lifted under the Joe Biden presidency.

The federal government and several religious leaders have repeatedly rejected claims of targeted genocide, arguing that the country’s complex security crises affect people of different faiths and ethnicities.

A BBC investigation referenced by U.S. officials found that some data used to support allegations of Christian genocide in Nigeria could not be independently verified.

Alia said he had recently visited the U.S. Embassy in Abuja to explain the security situation in Benue, emphasising that the state’s challenges do not align with the UN classification of genocide.

“It’s on the record that I had an interface with the American ambassador. I made it clear that, particularly in Benue State, the situation does not meet the parameters of genocide,” he said.

Benue State has grappled with persistent insecurity since 2009, including attacks on rural communities. According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), more than 800 people have been killed and nearly 400 abducted in the state over the past two years.

The most recent major incident occurred on 14 June, when coordinated attacks on Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area left more than 100 people dead. (Daily Trust)