TheNewsGuru

Tag: Benue State

  • Gunmen Kill Lecturer, Policemen in separate attacks in Benue

    In a separate attack in Benue state, five people have been killed, including a lecturer and two policemen by Unknown gunmen in Benue state.

    It was reported that the Incidents took place in two Local Government Areas in Benue State, at about 10 pm on Thursday.

    According to reports, the two policemen were killed in Yelewata of Guma LGA, a border town between Benue and Nasarawa states, while the three others were gunned down at Jootar in Ukum LGA, a border community between Benue and Taraba states.

    The policemen were shot dead while their guns were carted away.

    A witness said the Jootar killings involved three friends whose names were listed as, Fred Akaayar, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at the Federal University, Wukari in Taraba State; Aondo Ayange Apever and Shiaondo Kachina.

    The three friends were unwinding at a relaxation centre in Jootar when some yet-to-be ascertained gunmen who rode on a motorcycle shot at them.

    The witness also said the other people at the centre were scuttled to safety in the incident which happened at 7 pm on Thursday.

    Contacted, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Benue Command, SP Catherine Anene, said she could only confirm the Guma incident.

    “I received information about two policemen killed in an operation but I am yet to receive details please,” the PPRO stated in a reply to a text message sent by our correspondent.

  • 2023: Suspended Catholic priest, Hyacinth Alia wins APC guber ticket

    2023: Suspended Catholic priest, Hyacinth Alia wins APC guber ticket

    Suspended Catholic priest, Hyacinth Alia has emerged as the gubernatorial flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Alia emerged as the candidate of the APC for Benue State after polling over 7,000 votes from delegates to clinch the party’s ticket.

    The suspended Catholic priest defeated his closet rivals, former Minister of Justice, Mike Aondoakaa and former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Barnabas Gemade.

    The APC in Benue opted for direct primary to pick its governorship candidate, which means members of the party in the state voted for their preferred choice.

    Alia was suspended by the church after his declaration. He was relieved of his priestly duties temporarily on the grounds of the canon laws of the Catholic church.

    TNG reports Alia had while reacting to his suspension by the Vatican through a letter signed by Most. Rev. William Avenya, the Bishop of Gboko Diocese in Benue, pledged to represent the Church well in his political and personal conduct.

    Alia, suspended to allow him to pursue his political career but will be welcomed back thereafter, owned up that the directive of the Church was in line with the rules, and regulations guiding the conduct of clergymen and laity.

    He pledged not to disappoint the Church, saying that his aim in going into politics was to bring positive change in governance and the lives of the Benue people.

    Alia described his suspension as a normal procedure to enable him to pursue his ambition.

    “I will gladly return to continue ministration after repositioning the leadership quagmire in the state.

    “I will be the arrowhead of positive political symbolism within the confines of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he added.

    Alia explained that there was nothing wrong with clergymen participating in active politics, as long as the aim was for the common good of the people.

    He said that Benue required purposeful leadership to address the myriads of problems bedevilling it.

    Alia listed some of the problems to include absence of good leadership, underdevelopment, poverty, insecurity, and gradual loss of confidence in government.

    According to him, it is necessary to also reposition the civil service, to function effectively as the engine room of government through which the challenges will be tackled.

    He recalled that Rev. Fr Moses Adasu, who was elected as Benue governor in 1992 when the state needed a new direction for its development, was also suspended, but was recalled after his tenure.

  • Benue Governor Samuel Ortom wins Senatorial ticket unopposed

    The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has won the Benue North West Senatorial zone primary election ticket unopposed.

    The seat is currently occupied by Senator Orker Jev, a man perceived to be Gov.Ortom’s loyalist, he became a senator through the support of governor Ortom, he defeated the candidates of All Progressives Congress’ candidate and incumbent minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume in the 2019 general election.

    Sensing that he didn’t stand a chance, Senator Orker Jev didn’t bother to contest against the Benue state Governor.

    Ortom after he assisted Jev to win the 2019 senatorial election boasted that he was going to retire his estranged godfather, Senator Akume from politics.

    But Jev who did not allow the victory, then, to overwhelm him had said that Senator Akume remained his godfather.

    In a statement issued by governor Ortom’s media aide and made available to journalists Monday night, the governor expressed appreciation to the people of the zone for always standing with him.

    “He said he was pleased to be given another opportunity to serve the state at the Senate at the expiration of his tenure as governor.

    “People of the State, especially the people of Benue North-West, have demonstrated an  uncommon support to him, pointing out that “I have nothing to pay back than to remain their loyal servant, to give all to their service, adding, ‘the interest of the people will always be my priority.”

  • 2023: Catholic priest suspended for joining Benue guber race in APC reacts

    2023: Catholic priest suspended for joining Benue guber race in APC reacts

    Rev. Hyacinth Alia, a Catholic priest, and governorship aspirant on the platform of APC in Benue, on Sunday pledged to represent the Church well in his political and personal conduct.

    Alia was reacting to his suspension by the Vatican through a letter signed by Most. Rev. William Avenya, the Bishop of Gboko Diocese in Benue.

    The aspirant was suspended to allow him pursue his political career, but will be welcomed back after.

    Alia said that the directive of the Church was in line with the rules, and regulations guiding the conduct of clergymen and laity.

    He pledged not to disappoint the Church, saying that his aim of going into politics was to bring positive change in governance and the lives of Benue people.

    Alia described his suspension as a normal procedure to enable him to pursue his ambition.

    “I will gladly return to continue ministration after repositioning the leadership quagmire in the state.

    “I will be the arrow head of positive political symbolism within the confines of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he added.

    Alia explained that there was nothing wrong in clergymen participating in active politics, as long as the aim was for the common good of the people.

    He said that Benue required purposeful leadership to address the myriads of problems bedeviling it.

    The governorship aspirant listed some of the problems to include absence of good leadership, underdevelopment, poverty, insecurity, and gradual loss of confidence in government.

    According to Alia, it is necessary to also reposition the civil service, to function effectively as the engine room of government through which the challenges will be tackled.

    He recalled that Rev. Fr Moses Adasu, who was elected as Benue governor in 1992 when the state needed a new direction for its development, was also suspended, but was recalled after his tenure.

  • BREAKING: Catholic priest suspended for vying for governorship seat under APC

    BREAKING: Catholic priest suspended for vying for governorship seat under APC

    The Catholic Diocese of Gboko in Benue State has suspended Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia for joining the governorship race in the state under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Alia picked the N50m governorship form of the APC and had been cleared by the ruling party to participate alongside 11 there successful aspirants in the party’s primary.

    In a statement released by William Avenya, Bishop of the Diocese, the Catholic Church does not allow her clerics to get involved in partisan politics on their own.

    The statement stressed that Alia’s move to contest the governorship position of Benue, runs contrary to the vocation of Catholic priests.

    The statement reads in part: “I write to communicate to you the suspension of my priest. Revd. Fr. Hyacinth Lormem ALIA from public ministry after series of admonitions to him Ex can, 1371, 2º CIC.

    “The Mother church does not allow her clerics to get involved in partisan politics on their own Ex can. 285, 3 CIC. You are aware that my son, your brother and your priest has purchased the party forms to contest for the Office of the Governor of Benue State under the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is totally against our vocation.

    “Therefore, to respond to the spiritual and pastoral needs of the Church in the Catholic Diocese of Gboko, I have suspended him from the exercise of sacred ministry.

    “This canonical suspension takes effect from the moment it is communicated to him and lasts until he ceases from contumacy”.

  • Fire guts CBN office as Fire Service promptly put it off

    Fire guts CBN office as Fire Service promptly put it off

    Fire on Thursday engulfed parts of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Makurdi Office, situated in the Benue State Capital disrupting banking activities.

    The incident which started at about 7am was quickly put off by men of the Federal Fire Service who were alerted by security men on duty.

    Although, efforts to speak with authorities at the Bank proved abortive as people including newsmen were denied access into the facility by security personnel, a source disclosed that, the fire started from the power section of the Bank.

    The source however said that the fire did not affect other sections of the Bank, alleging that the fire could be caused as a result of a technical fault.

    Other sources say the inferno started from the fuel dome of the bank located at new GRA area of the metropolis a few meters from the Government house.

    They are also concerns that huge sums of money could have been affected by the inferno.

    Staff of the Bank were seen hanging around in shock discussing the incident at the time of filling this report.

    When contacted, the Director of Benue State Fire Service, Donald Ikyaaza, confirmed the report and said that he received a distress call about the fire incident and promptly deployed his men to the scene.

    Police public relations officer Sewuese Anene equally confirmed the unfortunate incident adding that personnel had been deployed to check any form of looting.

  • 2023: What I will do if I become president – Gov Wike

    2023: What I will do if I become president – Gov Wike

    “Don’t sell your vote, please give me your vote as we go to primary. If I become president, we will take security as priority because the main purpose of government is protection of lives and property,” said Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

    Wike stated this on Sunday, at the Government House, Makurdi, Benue State, while declaring interest in contesting the position of the President of Nigeria in the 2023 general election.

    Addressing the delegates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday, Wike called on them not to sell their votes.

    He opined that most of the presidential aspirants from the party were responsible for its defeat in 2015.

    Apparently taking on the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki, Wike added that some of the presidential aspirants on the platform of the party left the party when it mattered most.

    He said, “Let these people who are interested in presidency in the PDP tell us their contributions. You claimed to be one of the founding fathers of the party, but you left and came back; you have become an ordinary person in the new PDP.

    “If you form a company and run away because the company is not doing well, then you come back and found that it is now doing well, will you want to come and take over?

    “Some people want to use Nigeria to get back their private businesses. Let them mention their private sector that survived. Is it bank that your father had? Everybody is an employer of labour; even me I have 50 people in my house. So everybody has been employing people according to his capacity. In 2015, most of these people made us (PDP) to lose the election.”

    Wike said he had stood firm for the party through thick and thin, adding that he had contributed immensely to the growth of the party.

    “I have spoken truth to power. I don’t have problem with anybody but have to tell them the truth. Umahi and others abused me because I told him that you cannot take our mandate away. As a governor, I have performed well. I can go anywhere with my shoulder high. How many of them have challenged this government (APC)?

    Earlier, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, who lauded the contributions of his River State counterpart to Benue State and towards the displaced persons, said that the people of the state would support his aspiration.

    “Periodically, you have been helping us, particularly during the 2018 crisis in the state. We will support your aspiration because you have sown seed and you need to reap,” he said.

  • Benue police kills four bandits in Ukum LGA

    Benue police kills four bandits in Ukum LGA

    Four bandits in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State have been gunned down by the Benue State Police Command on Saturday.

     

    Police Commissioner, Wale Abass, identified those killed as Solo Orafaga, John Tyoakoso, Jude aka ‘Headboy’ and an unidentified bandit, who he said had all been terrorising Ukum.

     

    According to him, the weapons recovered from them included one Ak47 rifle, a G3 rifle, a locally made pistol as well as ammunitions and charms.

     

    Speaking to journalists at the state police headquarters in Makurdi, Abass pledged to rid the state of crime, with Governor Samuel Ortom’s support.

    The corpses of the four were displayed at the command headquarters in the presence of Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom.

     

    Ortom commended the police for their efforts, adding that his administration would do everything possible to check crime.

     

    CP Abbass disclosed that the bandits were ambushed and killed while on their way to attack a village called Gbagire, in Ukum.

    He said that apart from those killed, many others escaped with gunshot wounds.

    “The bandits were over 20”, he added.

  • Benue’s Deputy Governor joins gubernatorial race

    Benue’s Deputy Governor joins gubernatorial race

    The deputy governor of Benue State Benson Abounu, has purchased his expression of interest and nomination forms to run for governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Abounu shortly after purchasing the forms in Abuja on Friday said he was in the best position to succeed the incumbent governor.

    Speaking with newsmen after he secured the forms, he said: “Between me and my governor, in nearly seven years, we have not had one single quarrel. My governor understands me and I understand him. We are together in virtually everything we do.

    “He trusts me so much to the extent that he sends me on errand to the Governors’ Forum meeting, to the National Economic Council meeting, to even the Council of States that is presided over by the president himself, I represent him there”.

    On security, the deputy governor said besides Benue, the entire country was in a terrible state of insecurity. He said he had learnt so much from the governor who had taken on the agents of insecurity in the state.

    “I am going to transform the agricultural business of Benue State. I will be setting up what is called Produce Stock Exchange just the same manner that you have the Nigerian Stock Exchange and it works this way,” Abounu added.

  • BENUE: 42yrs native doctor commits suicide

    BENUE: 42yrs native doctor commits suicide

    A 42-year-old native doctor, Terhemen Iorbee, in Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State, has committed suicide by hanging himself.

    The native doctor was earlier declared missing before his body was later found hung on a tree.

     

    It was gathered that the incident, which happened at the weekend, jolted the residents.

     

    Although no suicide note was found to ascertain the cause of his suicide, locals in the area said that the deceased had manifested strange behaviours in recent times.

     

    “There is nothing to show the cause of his suicide except the strange behaviours he was displaying few weeks ago.

     

    “He was a native doctor and married to three wives and had four children,” one of the locals said.

     

    The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Catherine Anene, confirmed the hanging of the native doctor.