Yelewata Killings: Northern CAN Leaders visit Benue, pledge sustained advocacy
…Gov. Alia welcomes delegation, says ’Your Presence is Christ sitting with Us’
By Hussaina Yakubu
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), 19 Northern States and the FCT, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, has led a high-powered delegation of Christian leaders to Benue State to commiserate with the government and people over the recent attacks in Yelewata and other parts of the state, which claimed over 200 lives and displaced numerous families.
The delegation, received at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi, comprised CAN Chairmen, Secretaries, youth, and women leaders from across the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking during the visit, Rev. Hayab expressed deep sorrow over the mass killings, describing them as a national tragedy that requires urgent attention and a truthful national conversation.
He rejected the widely used narrative that classifies the Benue crisis as a “herders-farmers clash,” insisting that such a label is misleading and obstructive to meaningful resolution.
“This is not a herders-farmers crisis, and we must stop describing it that way,” Hayab said. “If you don’t make the right diagnosis, you will never administer the right treatment. We must call these killings what they are, and face the situation with honesty and courage.”
He added that while Northern CAN had issued several press statements to condemned the attacks, it’s necessary to visit the food basket that the region holds dear, assured the people of Benue that beyond offering prayers, CAN would continue to speak truth to power and engage national leaders on sensitive matters affecting peace and justice in Nigeria.
“Beyond our prayers, we will continue to speak truth to power and engage national leaders on sensitive issues of national importance until meaningful change is achieved,” he added.
Responding to the visit, Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia expressed deep appreciation to the Northern CAN leadership, noting that their presence brought warmth, comfort, and spiritual strength at a time of grief.
“As I was shaking hands with all of you and feeling your warmth, what ran through my mind was this: ‘I am because you are, and you are because I am.’ That is Christianity. That is the message Christ preached – love,” Governor Alia said.
The governor, who described the visit as a divine gesture, stated that the presence of the delegation symbolized Christ sitting with the people of Benue in their suffering.
“You are not just sitting here. It is Christ who is sitting on each of the chairs you occupy. That is how much this visit means to me and the good people of Benue,” he added.
Lamenting the repeated killings, Governor Alia said, “When one life is lost, it is one too many. And when the numbers keep rising, you wonder what is going on. But your visit, your prayers, and your presence are a complete interpretation of the good things that God is bringing out of a very bad situation.”
He urged the clergy to continue to serve as moral compasses for society and to uphold the state in their prayers, adding that “to whom much is given, much is expected.”
The visit concluded with special prayers for the victims, their families, and the peace of Benue State. The CAN delegation reaffirmed its unwavering support and commitment to the people and government of the state in the ongoing search for justice and national healing.