LONDON, 13 October 2026 — Benue State Governor, His Excellency Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, held a brief but cordial interaction with the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, Rt. Hon. Wes Streeting MP, at Westminster during his visit for the 11th Annual London Political Summit and Awards (LPSA) 2026.

The encounter followed Governor Alia’s attendance at a UK Parliament Defence Committee evidence session at the Thatcher Room, Portcullis House, where Streeting appeared alongside senior Ministry of Defence officials to address defence policy, institutional reform and government accountability.

Professor Chris Imafidon was credited with facilitating the invitation and introduction that enabled the Governor and his delegation to observe the parliamentary proceedings.

The interaction offered an opportunity to raise awareness of security challenges affecting Benue State and Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where attacks on rural communities and displacement continue to threaten lives, agriculture and economic development.

Defence Minister Streeting

Streeting welcomed Governor Alia’s parliamentary participation, while the Governor expressed appreciation for the opportunity to engage with British institutions.

According to the Governor’s delegation, the meeting concluded with an indication that further engagement could be explored. However, no formal security agreement or specific UK government commitment was announced.

Education, Investment and Diaspora Partnerships

The parliamentary visit formed part of Governor Alia’s wider London engagements promoting investment, education, peacebuilding and international partnerships.

At the London Political Summit, Governor Alia received awards recognising subnational leadership and development, including contributions to education. The honours were accepted on his behalf by Hon. Dr. Margaret Adamu, Benue State Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management.

A notable development was the presentation of a Memorandum of Understanding between BookAidAfrica UK and the Benue State Government for the proposed donation of five containers of academic books to school libraries across the state.

The initiative aims to strengthen educational resources, encourage reading and demonstrate how international partnerships can support local development priorities.

Governor Alia’s Westminster visit highlighted opportunities for Nigerian state governments to build relationships with international institutions in addressing security, education and economic challenges.

Although the meeting with the Defence Secretary was brief, it provided a platform for potential future dialogue.

For Benue State, sustained engagement with British institutions, diaspora organisations and development partners could contribute to stronger community resilience, educational opportunities and investment.

The wider message from the Governor’s London engagements was the importance of converting international relationships into practical benefits for communities facing security and development challenges.

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