Herdsmen Attack: ‘Reconsider Your Governorship Credentials’ – Chidi Odinkalu, Benue Govt Engage In War Of Words

Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has slammed the Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, over a statement regarding the perpetrators of insecurity in the state.

Naijaonpoint reports that Governor Alia had publicly claimed the attackers of the communities in Benue are Hausa-speaking mercenaries allegedly from Mali, which sparked debate and criticism.

However, Odinkalu in a post via 𝕏 on April 23, 2025, accused Alia of misinforming the public about the identity of those behind the persistent attacks in the state.

He questioned Alia’s claim that the perpetrators of the recent massacres are Hausa-speaking mercenaries from Mali, pointing out the geographical and linguistic inconsistency.

Taking a swipe at the governor’s background as a Catholic priest, Odinkalu wrote: “The Governor of Benue State should return to the seminary or seek re-education.

“He says #BenueMassacres are the handiwork of Hausa speakers from Mali? Malians speak Bambara, Songhai, Malinke. Hausa speakers with French accent should be from Niger, not Mali.” 

In response, the Benue State Government, in a statement issued on Saturday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, condemned Odinkalu’s comments, describing them as disturbingly insensitive to the plight of victims affected by continued attacks in the state.

He emphasised the dire situation in the state, noting that Governor Alia has been consistent in identifying the perpetrators without resorting to ethnic stereotyping.

He said, “It is quite disheartening to see personalities like Chidi Odinkalu, who should align in solidarity with the victims of these attacks, prefer to choose performative critique. This will take us away from the genuine issues befalling the people of Benue.

“Benue, with the appellation of the Food Basket of the Nation, is awfully bleeding from the dreadful wounds viciously inflicted as a result of relentless attacks by armed herders. Many innocent lives have been lost, and thousands of families have been displaced.

 “Gov. Alia has on various occasions openly acknowledged the limitations of his efforts in providing necessary support through logistics and manpower to federal security forces, which are evidently overstretched.

“Governor Alia has consistently pointed out the active involvement of criminal elements among Fulani herdsmen, who have resorted to hiring mercenaries to aid in their land-grabbing ventures. He discerns the pitfalls of generalisation. Stereotyping a whole ethnic group does not generate solutions to the crisis at hand.”

Reacting via a fresh post on his 𝕏 handle, Odinkalu further criticised Alia’s handling of the crisis, accusing the Governor of failing in both moral and leadership responsibilities amid ongoing attacks in rural communities.

Odinkalu’s reference to the Ukum incident alludes to a recent confrontation in the Ukum Local Government Area, where the governor was reportedly pelted with stones by angry residents frustrated by the government’s perceived inaction in curbing the violence.

He further alleged that rather than take responsibility, Alia deflected blame by inventing phantom perpetrators.

He wrote, “Mr. Catholic Governor of Benue State has shown a remarkable lack of both will and nous on this existential crisis in the State.

“The victims understand his failure of pastoral capability or advertence. Last week, they stoned him and his convoy out of Ukum.

“Rather than learn lessons from that chastening experience, Mr. Catholic Governor of Benue State chose to invent phantom perpetrators, claiming they are ‘Hausa from Mali.

“#OnThisDay of #PopeFuneral, Benue State Gov, Hyacinth Alia, a Catholic Priest, has no time to mourn the Pope. Instead, he’s sent out Tersoo Kula, his #Spox, to issue a cringeworthy statement protesting that I said he, Mr. Catholic Governor, needs re-education.

“If he cannot be bothered to re-examine his record on this issue, it may be time for Mr. Catholic Governor of Benue State to reconsider his governorship credentials. Sadly, on the current evidence, even his credentials for the pulpit or the altar may be open to question.”