Benue Governor Alia Orders Security Crackdown After Attack On Katsina-Ala Community, Killing Of Residents

July 1, 2026

The Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has condemned the deadly attack on Saai community in Mbajir Ward of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, describing it as a “senseless assault on innocent citizens” and ordering an immediate deployment of security personnel to the affected area.

The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, July 1, reportedly left scores of residents dead while many others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor alleged that the assailants were terrorists masquerading as herdsmen.

Reacting to the incident, Alia said the attack was cowardly and came at a particularly critical period when farmers had returned to their ancestral communities to cultivate their lands during the farming season.