Benue State Governor, Alia Hyacinth, has opposed self-defence as a response to incessant killings in the state.

He noted that such a move was not good.

Mr Alia, who spoke during an AIT interview on Tuesday, called for community policing instead of self-defense, which he said would make the state more vulnerable.

Asked to speak on calls on Benue people to resort to self-defence against marauding killers, Mr Alia said, “Each time I speak about this, I get very passionate about it. But I’m cautiously guiding citizens. It is not just advisable for you to say we’ll pick out knives, machetes and stick and get out there to fight. That’s not good.”

He added, “Where you have people who decide to just wake up because of sentiments, emotions attached to what is happening to us and within us, I think we will be rendering ourselves more vulnerable. So I wouldn’t advocate self-defence.”

The governor recommended community policing which allows members of the community who know the terrain to secure the areas.

The governor stated, “I would encourage us to keep calling for community policing. There are conversations around community policing. I’m one of the governors that accepted it. If it is community policing, the full power reside with those who understand the terrain where we are attacked, who know the length and breadth of out borders.’’

The governor’s opposition to self-defence followed amid widespread killings in Benue State, which provoked calls on locals to defend themselves as the government continues to fail in its primary responsibility.


In response to the killing of hundreds in Yelewata in the Guma Local Government Area over the weekend, a former Senate President David Mark, warned that Benue people would have no option than to resort to self defence against the killers.

Similarly, Pastor Johnson Sulemam of Omega Fire Ministry, charged Benue people to pick up arms against marauding killers.