Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has said that self-defence is not a viable solution to the ongoing security challenges facing communities in the state.
Speaking on Kakaaki, a current affairs programme on Africa Independent Television (AIT), on Tuesday, the governor addressed the persistent attacks and killings in several parts of Benue, noting that while the idea of self-defence may seem reasonable, it could further endanger the lives of residents.
“I think that would make some very good common sense,” Alia said, in reference to self-defence. “But where you have people who just decide to wake up because of sentiments and emotions that are attached to what is happening with us and within us, I think the rendering ourselves a bit more vulnerable — so I wouldn’t advocate for a self-defence.”
Governor Alia emphasized that instead of encouraging residents to arm themselves, a more strategic and long-term solution lies in effective community policing. According to him, involving local people who understand the terrain and culture of their communities is key to combating the worsening insecurity.
“I would encourage us all to keep calling for community policing because it’s the only way,” he said. “It’s only people from within the state and local government who would understand what is going on with them.”
His comments come amid increasing frustration among residents of Benue State, particularly in rural areas where armed attacks have left dozens dead and displaced thousands. In some quarters, there have been calls for residents to defend themselves in the absence of adequate security presence.
Governor Alia further explained that the nature of the threat facing the state has changed. He said that the attackers, including bandits and terrorists, have adopted guerrilla warfare tactics, making it difficult for security agencies to track or apprehend them.
“We’re talking about the bandits and the terrorists who have come to a very mystifying frame of guerrilla warfare. They come, hit, and go back. So, we cannot identify them,” he stated.
Benue, a state in Nigeria’s North Central region, has faced years of violent clashes and attacks, particularly in agrarian communities. The insecurity is often attributed to clashes between farmers and armed herders, as well as criminal elements operating across its vast rural terrain.
Governor Alia’s call for calm and strategic security reforms echoes the broader national debate on how best to safeguard lives and property, especially in regions where state presence is minimal.
While the federal government continues to push for improved military and police operations, Alia’s position reinforces the growing advocacy for decentralised security structures that allow communities to take part in their own protection — but without resorting to unregulated self-defence.
