Omirhobo Condemns Governor Alia’s Claims of ‘No Ethnic or Racial Genocide’

Prominent human rights advocate and constitutional lawyer, Chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo, has sharply criticised Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia for stating that “there is no ethnic or racial genocide in Benue State.”

In a statement on Wednesday, Omirhobo described the governor’s remarks as “shocking, disappointing and utterly irresponsible.”

Omirhobo said the governor’s comments amounted to an insult to victims of years of violent attacks in Benue, where armed groups have been accused of repeated assaults on rural communities.

He stated that thousands of men, women and children have been killed in incidents that have displaced entire villages, destroyed farmlands and left families living in fear.

“These atrocities did not happen in the governor’s imagination; they happened on Benue soil, to Benue people,” Omirhobo said, arguing that Governor Alia’s stance suggests a denial of longstanding security challenges in the state.

The lawyer condemned what he called the governor’s refusal to acknowledge the suffering of affected communities, asserting that leaders must prioritise truth and justice over political convenience.

“Nigeria does not need leaders who sanitise atrocities to please foreign partners,” he stated.

Omirhobo urged Governor Alia to retract his comments, warning that silence and denial only embolden perpetrators of violence.

“To claim there is ‘no genocide’ in Benue is not just a lie, it is a betrayal of the victims, a betrayal of history, and a betrayal of the Nigerian people,” he said.