Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has disclosed that the gunmen who recently carried out deadly attacks in Benue communities first clashed with military and police personnel before targeting civilians.
In an interview with Arise News on Monday evening, Governor Alia revealed that the attackers infiltrated the community via a nearby river, initiating a fierce confrontation with security forces stationed in the area.
“It lasted for two hours. There is a military checkpoint and there are police as well. Here is how it happens. The river is not too far from this axis. So we understand that they came by route of the river,” Governor Alia explained.
He described the attackers as heavily armed and large in number, noting their tactical movement through the riverine area bordering Nasarawa State.
“They were pushed back and now they are moving towards Lafia, Nasarawa State. This place shares borders with Nasarawa State,” he said.
“When they got to this town, the first effort they did was to go attack the military and the police who usually manned the road around there. But they had a big push back and ran back. But they came in numbers, they usually came in huge numbers,” he added.
Recent weeks have seen a surge in violent incidents across Benue communities, marked by mass casualties, widespread destruction, and growing displacement, despite ongoing security presence in the region.
Governor Alia’s account suggests the attackers exploited the river’s proximity to avoid early detection and execute their deadly assault with precision.
