Gabriel Oche Amanyi, the Nigerian singer and rapper, who is popularly known as Terry G, has criticized Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia for downplaying claims of religious genocide in the state.
Alia, while speaking at a consultative forum on the protection of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDPs) organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Abuja, dismissed claims circulating in the United States that Nigeria is experiencing religious genocide, insisting that no such atrocity is taking place in his state or any part of the country.
The governor challenged claims used by some U.S. officials to push for Nigeria’s designation as a “Country of Particular Concern,” a classification tied to allegations of systematic persecution of Christians.
“In my state of Benue, we don’t have any religious, any ethnic, any racial, any national or state genocide. We don’t have that,” Alia said.
He acknowledged the state’s insecurity but insisted it did not meet the definition of genocide.
In response, Terry G, a native of Benue, in a post via his Instagram page, questioned why Governor Alia was lying,
He said, ”Reverend, for that matter, why una too dey lie? Why can’t you guys admit, for once, and apply correction? There is nothing like Christian genocide in Benue, so that means you are not hearing all the news that is going on. What kind of governor is that one now? Una go just dey cap rubbish.
“We refuse to be quieted. The Christian community in Benue is under attack — no amount of denial can hide that reality.”
