Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has asked the Federal Government to give real help to tackle the ongoing violence in the state. He said what Benue needs now is strong support, not a state of emergency.

Speaking on Arise TV’s “The Morning Show” on April 23, Governor Alia explained that his government is already working hard to restore peace but needs more help from Abuja. He mentioned that the Federal Government had earlier given two armoured tanks, which made security better.

“Our situation has improved,” Alia said. “But we still need emergency help to push out the armed attackers. These herders speak foreign languages and don’t belong here. They must go back so our farmers can return to their land.”

He rejected the idea that the crisis is too big for his government. He said they had reduced the number of affected local government areas from seventeen to six. “This shows we can handle it,” he added. “But we need more help.”

Governor Alia asked the Federal Government to provide real support—like more troops, better logistics, and good intelligence—rather than just declaring a state of emergency.

“We need full support,” he said. “A state of emergency won’t fix the problem. What we need is teamwork and real action.”