Alia Hyacinth Iormem

Hyacinth Iormem Alia (born 15 May 1966) is a Nigerian Catholic cleric and politician who has been a serving governor of Benue State since 29 May 2023.

He was born on 15 May 1966, in Mbangur, Mbadede, Vandeikya local government area of Benue State. He got his First School Leaving Certificate from St. Francis Primary school, Agidi, Mbatiav in Gboko local government area of the state and in 1983, he enrolled at St. James Minor Seminary, Makurdi.

He gained admission to study at St. Augustine's Major Seminary, Jos. He studied for a diploma in Religious Studies in 1987 and a Bachelor of Arts in Sacred Theology in 1990.

In 1999, he obtained a Master's in Religious Education (Psychology and Counseling) at Fordham University, Bronx, New York City. In 2004, he got an additional master's degree in biomedical ethics from Duquesne University, Pennsylvania. He received a doctorate in biomedical ethics at Duquesne in 2005, though his dissertation is not in the library holdings.

Hyacinth Alia was ordained a Catholic priest on 7 July 1990, by Bishop Athanasius Atule Usuh of Makurdi Catholic Diocese.

Governorship (2023–Present): Alia was sworn in as the Governor of Benue State on 29 May 2023. Upon assuming office, he prioritized civil service reforms, notably ensuring the regular payment of salaries and pensions.

His administration’s 'Strategic Development Plan' focused on infrastructural renewal in Makurdi, the state capital, and rural electrification in several local government areas.

In 2024, Alia launched the Benue State Youth Empowerment Scheme, aimed at reducing unemployment through agricultural subsidies.

Despite administrative focus, his tenure has faced challenges regarding internal security and farmer-herder tensions, which he addressed through community policing and dialogue.

Upon assuming office, Alia initiated an urban renewal campaign, beginning with the construction of 16 township roads in Makurdi. By 2025, this expanded to over 50 road projects, including major flyovers and underpasses at the High-Level roundabout in Makurdi and Gyado Junction in Gboko.

In late 2025, the administration secured a €25 million intervention fund from the European Investment Bank to construct a 500-kilometer rural road network and 78 culverts and bridges.

To address Benue’s long-standing security challenges, Alia established 'Operation Nyan Nyor,' a specialized security outfit to combat kidnapping and cattle rustling. He also restructured the State Volunteer Guards into the 'Civil Protection Guards' for community-led intelligence gathering.

In 2025, Alia advocated for the establishment of a state police force to respond to farmer-herder conflicts and worked with the Federal Government to upgrade five police stations to full Divisions in flashpoint areas like Yelwata and Jato-Aka.

His administration has overseen the resettlement of thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through a phased security deployment plan.

Since taking office, Alia has received accolades for his governance and humanitarian efforts, including Governor of the Year (Humanitarian Service) in 2024, Leadership Newspaper’s Governor of the Year (Digital Economy) in 2024, Peace Ambassador Award, Leadership Governor of the Year (2023), and African Eagle Award (2025) for socio-economic development.