By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has revealed that President Bola Tinubu urged him to pursue reconciliation and dialogue as part of a political solution to the ongoing killings in the state.
Speaking during an interview on The Morning Brief, a Channels Television programme, on Monday, Alia said the meeting, which also included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, was convened by the President to seek an end to the persistent violence plaguing Benue communities.
“The President is not wrong to have said that we should find a common ground for reconciliation,” Alia stated.
“He had invited the SGF and myself because of what he was hearing out there in the public. He tried to find out whether there were some differences between us.”
According to Alia, both he and Akume reassured the President that any reported rift between them was unfounded.
“The SGF himself said there were no differences between us. If there were, going forward, there would be no anxiety at all,” he added.
The governor noted that Tinubu’s call for dialogue is part of a broader approach to tackling the security crisis in the state, which has come under heavy attacks from suspected armed herders in recent weeks.
Over 160 people have reportedly been killed in a string of coordinated attacks across several communities.
“We have a complex situation that is primarily being sponsored from somewhere, being remote-controlled from somewhere,” Alia said.
“We would be able to contain the intra-local government and the inter-local government crises in the state. The problem here is the externals who come in armed with their AK-47 and their AK-49.”
Addressing criticisms about the federal government’s response to the crisis, Alia dismissed claims that Benue had been abandoned.
“If President Bola Tinubu didn’t have an understanding of what is going on, he won’t be giving us full support,” he asserted.
“Seventeen local governments out of 23 were under siege. We fought it down to nine, then to six, and now to three. It came down because of the full support we got from the Federal Government.”
Benue, a key agricultural state in Nigeria’s North-Central region, has battled years of violent conflict, often attributed to disputes between nomadic herders and farming communities.
In recent months, the attacks have intensified, prompting renewed calls for both military action and political reconciliation.
Alia’s comments come amid speculation of a power tussle between him and Akume over the control of the All Progressives Congress (APC) structure in the state—rumours both leaders denied during their meeting with the President.
With the President’s backing and renewed focus on dialogue, Alia expressed optimism that the state could move toward peace.
“So, the traditional institutions should go to their beds with eyes closed,” he said.