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Tag: Benue

  • Gunmen invade Benue monarch’s palace, kill son, abduct daughter

    Gunmen invade Benue monarch’s palace, kill son, abduct daughter

    Gunmen broke into Ikpomolokpo palace in Gege Ward of Ado Local Government Area in Benue State in the early hours of Monday, killing the son of the monarch, while his daughter was whisked away.

    Witnesses said the gunmen stormed the community at about 2am and headed to the palace of the clan head, where they wreaked havoc.

    The villagers said that they heard gunshots severally from the residence of the clan head but could not intervene because they themselves were helpless.

    The Chairman of Ado LGA, Chief James Oche, confirmed the incident to journalists in Makurdi, saying he received a distress call on the incident.

    Oche said: “Some gunmen at about 2am today (Monday) entered into the residence of the clan head of Ipomoloko through the fence and asked for the wife of the clan head from the son whose name is Thompson.

    “The young man told them that he did not know the whereabouts of his mother and they shot him dead and they now took the sister away.”

    The Council Chairman added that he immediately alerted troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, but before they could get to the palace, the gunmen had escaped into the Atiga forest in the area.

    Oche said the troops were already trailing the culprits with the aim of apprehending them and rescuing the abductee.

    The spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Catherine Anene, was unreachable as of press time as her telephone line was switched off.

  • Gunmen attack mourners during funeral in Benue, kill four

    Gunmen attack mourners during funeral in Benue, kill four

    Gunmen attacked mourners at a funeral ceremony in Imande Abur village, Mbategh council ward of Benue State on Saturday, the police said.

    According to a statement signed by police spokesperson Anene Sewuese Catherine, five persons sustained gunshot injuries during the attack and were rushed to the hospital, but four lost their lives while receiving treatment.

    “On the 13th November 2021 at about 0300hrs information was received that a group of gunmen numbering three (3) and identified by eyewitnesses to be known persons within Sankara area invaded Imande Abur village, Mbategh council ward and shot sporadically at mourners who were assembled at a funeral ceremony,” the statement said.

    “Police teams within the area swiftly moved to the area but suspects took to their heels on sighting the police.

    “Five persons sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to hospital for treatment but unfortunately four of them lost their lives while receiving treatment.

    “The Command commiserate with families of the victims and assure them that justice will definitely be served as detectives are already on the trail of identified suspects.”

  • 4 banks complied with order on freezing Benue govt accounts – AMCON tells court

    4 banks complied with order on freezing Benue govt accounts – AMCON tells court

    Four commercial banks in the country have complied with the order of a Federal Hig Court, Abuja, directing the freezing of all bank accounts of Benue Government.

    The four banks include First City Monument Bank Plc, Standard Charterred Bank Ngeria, Suntrust Bank Nigeria Ltd, and Wema Bank Plc.

    Counsel to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Ogechukwu Okeke, on Tuesday, told the presiding judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, when she presented the report on compliance to court order.

    Justice Ekwo had, on Oct. 26, made an interim order, freezing all bank accounts of Benue government maintained in some banks in the country following its inability to pay back N333 million loan borrowed in 2008.

    The judge, who gave the order following an ex-parte motion brought by AMCON, also directed that the bank accounts of HPPS Multilink Services Ltd be frozen pending the hearing and the determination of the substantive suit.

    NAN reports that the affected bank accounts for the two respondents are domiciled with Access Bank Plc; Citibank Nigeria Limited; Eco Bank Nigeria Plc; Fidelity Bank Plc; First Bank Nigeria Plc; First City Monument Bank Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Pic.

    Others include those in Heritage Bank Plc; Keystone Bank Limited; Polaris Bank Limited; Stanbic IBTC Plc; Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited; Sterling Bank Plc; Suntrust Bank Nigeria Limited; Union Bank of Nigeria Plc; United Bank for Africa Plc; Unity Bank Nigeria Plc; Wema Bank Plc and Zenith Bank Plc.

    NAN also reports that while AMCON is the claimant, the company and the state government are 1st and 2nd respondents respectively.

    However, in the affidavit to show cause of compliance filed before the court, all the banks were listed as 1st to 18th garnishees.

    When the matter was called, Okeke informed that the matter was slated for mention and for the banks to show compliance.

    She, however, said that so far, only four banks had been able to show compliance.

    “That is the 6th, 12th, 14th and 17th respondents. We are applying that they be discharged from the proceedings,” the lawyer told court.

    Justice Ekwo, then, made an order, discharging the four banks.

    Okeke, thereafter, applied for a date for hearing the suit and to avail the rest of the banks another opportunity.

    But counsel to the state government, Terkura Pepe, SAN, told the court that though they had not been served with the court processes, he came out of the respect the defence had for the court.

    “We saw the publication and because of the respect we have for the court, we applied for certifed true copy of the processes before the court and before the end of the day, we will file our processes,” he said.

    The judge, then, adjourned the matter until Nov. 22 for hearing.

    NAN reports that AMCON had, on Oct. 26, brought an ex-parte motion, with suit number: FHC/ABJ/AMC/74/2021 dated and filed on Sept. 30 by its Counsel, Darlington Ozurumba.

    The motion prayed for five reliefs.

    The court, which granted the reliefs, also made an interim order “freezing and attaching the JAAC Bank Accounts (Joint Accounts Allocation committee), Internal Generated Revenue Accounts, all bank accounts both current, savings, fixed deposits and/or investments accounts of the 2nd respondent (Benue Government) maintained with all the banks mentioned above pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

    “An interim order is hereby made restraining all banks and/or other financial institutions above mentioned in Nigeria forthwith from releasing or dealing in any manner howsoever with monies held in any account to which the respondents are signatories pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

    “An order is hereby made directing all banks and/or other financial institutions in Nigeria to, within seven (7) days of the date of service of this order, file and serve an affidavit of compliance disclosing with statement on each account howsoever designated, held and/or maintained by the respondents and ail accounts to which the respondents are signatories for a period of sic months prior to the date of service of this order till date.”

    Meanwhile, in the affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by Abubakar Isa, a staff of AMCON, the corporation described the loan as a toxic loan of eligible bank assets transfered to it by law to recover.

    AMCON told the court that the 1st respondent (the firm), which has its office in Kaduna State, had collected a N333 million loan facility from Bank PHB PLC (now Keystone Bank Ltd) on Jan. 31, 2008 “for the purpose of purchasing 5, 000 pieces of motorcycles to the 2nd defendant and its workers through the Nigeria Labour Congress of its state vide an irrevocable standing payment order (ISPO}.

    “That the 2nd respondent is the state government of the beneficiaries who equally gave ISPO guarantee for the repayment of the loan through deduction from the salaries of its workers and make payment to the bank but failed to do so.

    “That the loan was for the agreed period of 24 months at the interest of 19 per cent per annum.

  • Tofi, renowned Benue industrialist, dies at 103

    Tofi, renowned Benue industrialist, dies at 103

    Chief Denen Tofi, a renowned Benue industrialist, has died at the age of 103.

    Mr Aondoakura Tofi, one of sons of the deceased disclosed this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi on Thursday.

    He said that his father died around 11a.m. on Thursday at Nyom Hospital in Gboko, the traditional headquarters of Tiv people.

    ”My dad’s old age contributed significantly to his death.

    “Yeah, we lost him around 11a.m. On Tuesday night, around 9p.m., he started feeling uneasy and was rushed to the hospital in the morning.

    “He started responding to treatment before he finally answered the call of his father,” he said.

    Tofi was one of the foremost industrialists in Benue, he was the owner of Paradise and New State Hotels, Tofi Memorial Grammar School, National Oil and several other companies.

    He was popularly known by his business motto: “Do well, God will help you.”

  • Independence Day: Nothing to celebrate at 61 – Ortom

    Independence Day: Nothing to celebrate at 61 – Ortom

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has said there is nothing to celebrate about the 61st Independence Anniversary of Nigeria as sycophants and mediocre have taken over the country coupled with the level of insecurity, bad economic policies of the federal government and grinding poverty in the land.

    The Governor who spoke Friday at the Interdenominational Church Service held at the Chapel of Grace, Benue Government House to mark 61st Independence Anniversary celebrations said Nigeria was facing the worst economic and security crisis ever witnessed in the history of the country.

    He said “we have nothing to celebrate. What are we celebrating, bandits, kidnappers, herdsmen, insurgents, failed economy or what?

    “Look at the economy the Naira is almost N600 to the Dollar today. The truth is that we have nothing to celebrate as a people because we the leaders have failed this country.

    “Sycophants and mediocres have taken over. Corruption has taken over this country. In every sphere of life nothing is happening; but we need to celebrate God for giving us life; so with it maybe tomorrow things might get better but for now I must tell you that we have nothing to celebrate.”

    The Governor stated that in Benue state alone, from 2017 till date, over 100 security personnel lost their lives to armed herdsmen and bandits in the course of providing security for the lives and property of the people of the state.

    He stressed that the attack on security personnel which was not peculiar to the state but a nationwide challenge was indicative of the worsening insecurity in the country.

    “These are innocent individuals who come from families and also own families. They volunteered to provide security for all of us and it is highly condemnable for anyone to attack them let alone take their lives.

    “This is certainly not the kind of country our founding fathers wished for us. But we must keep fate in our country Nigeria, because it is God that brought us together in the mist of our diversity.

    “We know that there are mischief-makers all over the place but we must not be provoked because two wrongs cannot make a right. We cannot say because there is impunity going on, we must be involved in such.

    “Let us work with God to give us a new direction because there will be light at the end of tunnel. Nigeria will be out of this situation someday. So lets trust God to deliver us. Lets have the faith of Daniel who was delivered by God from Lion’s den.

    “We must also pray for President Muhammadu Buhari, the Governors and those in positions of leadership in this country for God to lead them aright and for the betterment of the people they lead.”

  • Scores of miners feared killed as site collapses in Benue

    Scores of miners feared killed as site collapses in Benue

    There’s palpable fear that miners have been killed after a mineral deposit popularly known as Tojir Mine collapsed at Duejime area, near Anyiin of Logo Local Government area of Benue State on Tuesday.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports that eyewitnesses in the area, indicate the accident occurred at the mine site while the victims were working in the mine.

    According to Baba Ngutor in a Telephone conversation said that three of the workers died instantly while others were seriously injured and were transferred to a hospital in Anyiin.

    It was further gathered that one of the workers who managed to escape from the scene unhurt informed locals who mobilised to rescue the victims.

    Meanwhile, Council Chairman of Logo LGA, Terseer Agber who confirmed the report however said neither he nor the state government knew anything about the mining operation in the area.

    The Logo council boss who spoke to newsmen by telephone however, confirmed three persons killed and one other injured in the mining disaster.

    But when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Sewuase Anene said she was yet to receive any report on the accident.

  • Unending Bloodbaths: Benue, Plateau peoples’ lives matter – Carl Umegboro

    Unending Bloodbaths: Benue, Plateau peoples’ lives matter – Carl Umegboro

    By Carl Umegboro

    The unending records of killings of people in Benue State – one of the states in Nigeria must not continue unabated. The menaces characterize a failed society without leadership. The incessant mayhems – massacres and destruction of possessions, be it ethnic, religious or politically-motivated must stop. Human lives cannot continue to be wasted as if in Hollywood or Nollywood tragedies, or as if they are animals for slaughter in abattoirs. The countless lives lost in those crisis are gone for eternity. The huge losses, injuries and destruction of properties are real and not like those Chico Ejiro’s screenplays. Many families have lost loved ones including parents, innocent children and treasured members of the family to the heinous crimes against humanity. It has become a case of endless dirges and mourning.

    Over time, Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom has always bashed President Muhammadu Buhari on account the herdsmen are mostly from Fulani, the president’s ethnic nationality. Observably, these have become the governor’s visible actions to the endless violent disturbances and genocides. Meanwhile, the helpless people under his watch are on regular basis butchered or gunned down by their rivals. The negligence leaves much to be desired of a state governor.

    Measuring from Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which provides “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”, the governor has failed in his duties to protect lives and properties in his domain. A leader must be proactive. There’s no strong excuse that can justify the endlessness of the horrible scenes in Benue. Propagandas can wait. A state governor must take charge and ensure that the territory is cool and calm at every point in time. Splendidly, President Buhari had charged governors to take charge in their domains.

    Remarkably, Kogi state which is adjacent to Benue had earlier witnessed similar ugly scenes but the governor, Yahaya Bello sat down and fashioned a lasting solution that successfully tamed the deadly regular violence in Kogi. The governor convened a stakeholders meeting involving warring groups, set up a joint committee involving host-communities, farmers and herdsmen with powers to monitor activities and control excesses to prevent retributive or retaliatory violence which usually escalates losses in the area.

    With the joint committees in place, any person be it from the host-communities, farmers or herdsmen that violates the rules will be sanctioned and made to pay for damages after evaluation by the committees. Among the rules is that if a cow enters a farm and damages occurred, all expected from the farmers is to report to the committee, and not to retaliate by attacking the cows or herdsmen. As soon as the committee establishes the allegations, the damages will be evaluated for the owners of the cows to pay to the farmers without delays. By this mechanism, anyone taking laws into his hands from any sides will also be sanctioned accordingly. And it has worked excellently and still working to date.

    Instructively, Former US President, Ronald Reagan once said, “Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means”. Similarly, an American political theorist, Saul Alinsky said, “Change means movement. Movement means friction. Only in the frictionless vacuum of a nonexistent abstract world can movement or change occur without that abrasive friction of conflict.” Likewise, Lawrence Butler, a US Ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia from 2002 to 2005 in a remarks said, “If war is the violent resolution of conflict, then peace is not the absence of conflict, but rather, the ability to resolve conflict without violence.”

    Put these remarks together, it points to one direction – conflict is inevitable in human existence, and occurs in all levels of human society – at home, across ethnic groups, business relations, amongst others. In other words, it’s difficult to eliminate differences considering that each person has his thoughts in all cultures, races and societies.

    Suffice to say that oversights of Benue government in controlling the conflicts amounts to weakness and a failure of the administration. It makes no sense that people that elected the leaders are frequently sent to their early graves and the governor who is the chief security officer of the state only stands by to attack the President as if the dead bodies can be revived afterwards with the blusters. The Constitution proactively empowers governors with security votes.

    Perceptively, it has become a pattern of politicians particularly public officeholders that are bereft of ideas to resort to verbal attacks craftily to divert attentions. This was abundantly witnessed during the tenure of Ayo Fayose as Ekiti governor. All that the people got from the administration was name-calling – ‘clueless, damaged brain’, or whatever came to his mouth and mind. No significant impact or accomplishments for the state throughout the period.

    Again, many have called for absolute ban of open-grazing on account it is antediluvian and promotes ethnic crisis in the society. Admitted, that’s a good idea and supports civilization. However, it can realistically succeed by gradual process and not immediate ban as cattle-rearing has existed for centuries and become a livelihood to some persons. Some grew up as herders, thus, instant ban without adequate planning and reorientation may not succeed considering that herders are nomadic; moving with cattle from one location to another through the bush without even knowing when they cross boundaries.

    In other words, Bello’s approaches in establishing ethnic-based conflict resolution committees in Kogi for a lasting peace between host-communities and herders are worthy of emulation. So, Mr Governor, take charge and stop the bloodbaths. The hate, inciting-speeches against other ethnic groups, added to rants every now and then, against presidency cannot birth a solution but escalate crisis. Ortom must therefore strategically change approaches for a lasting peace in Benue. Ditto to Plateau governor, and other states constantly facing ethnic and religious crisis that always results to bloodbaths. People’s lives matter.

    Umegboro, ACIArb is a certified arbitrator, public affairs analyst and social crusader.

     

  • Ortom fumes as Akume demands state of emergency in Benue

    Ortom fumes as Akume demands state of emergency in Benue

    Governor Samuel Ortom has attacked former governor George Akume for calling on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Benue State.

    Akume had at a press conference in Abuja on Monday called for a state of emergency in Benue over high level of insecurity.

    But Ortom hits back at him through a statement from his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase

    “We read the text of press conference addressed today in Abuja by the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume with other All Progressives Congress, APC leaders from Benue State.

    “We had earlier alerted Benue people and other Nigerians to expect the said press conference. It is one in a series of an organized smear campaign against Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.

    “As expected, Senator Akume and his group avoided responding to the issues of insecurity in the country which the Governor has repeatedly and rightly accused the Presidency of complicity.

    “The outing of George Akume and others in Abuja was nothing more than a massage on the ego of the Presidency to curry personal favours. As long as he and his group secure their meal tickets, Benue can go to hell. A media attack on Governor Ortom instantly attracts a package from the Villa,”the statement said.

    According to the statement, Akume and his group must have been under intense pressure to hold the press conference and hurl vituperation against the Governor,saying this, they had to do to keep their jobs.

    It said the leadership of APC in Benue, having lost grip of the party membership in the state with hundreds defecting to PDP every week, now saw a window of opportunity to relaunch themselves into relevance.

    “As a two-term former Governor of Benue State, it is shocking that Akume is now calling for the declaration of state of emergency in the state to dismantle democratic structures.

    “Is it not contradictory that Akume faults Governor Ortom over his statements on the President’s handling of the security situation in the country but goes ahead to brand the Governor as a criminal and sponsor of militia? We challenge the Minister to provide evidence to back his claim that the Governor is involved in corruption and sponsors militia.

    “We recall that when he was Governor, Akume challenged the then President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for not doing enough to end the Jukun/Tiv crisis on the border of Benue and Taraba State. He is on record to have confronted President Obasanjo and said uncomplimentary things to the President. Now he finds it convenient to give lectures on respect for hierarchy in government and age,” the statement added.

    On Akume’s call for a probe, the statement said “we have no objection to that. Governor Ortom is running a transparent administration and has nothing to hide. We however invite Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to begin their probe from 1999 when Akume became Governor. The N2 billion that went missing at the twilight of his administration is yet to be accounted for.

    “Akume’s utterances in 2019 are still fresh in the minds of Benue people. After the state came under herdsmen attacks and hundreds were killed, he accused Benue people of killing themselves. That the people responded to him by voting him out of the Senate confirmed their anger towards him. Lastly, we expected APC to hold the press conference in Benue to test their popularity among the people of the state.”

  • JUST IN: NBC queries Channels TV over Ortom interview, demands response within 24Hrs

    JUST IN: NBC queries Channels TV over Ortom interview, demands response within 24Hrs

    The National Broadcasting Commission has queried Channels Television over the “inciting, divisive and unfair comments” made by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on the TV’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ breakfast programme on Tuesday.

    NBC made this known in a letter to the television station titled, ‘Notice of Infraction’.

    The regulator’s letter was dated August 24, 2021, and signed by its Director-General, Balarabe Ilelah.


    NBC said, “The programme which had as guest the Executive Governor of Benue State, Governor Samuel Ortom, was observed to contain inciting, divisive and unfair comments which were not thoroughly interrogated by the anchors.”

    It said the actions allegedly negated Sections 1.10.4, 3.1.1, 3.3.1(b), 3.3.1(e), 3.11.1(a), and 3.12.2 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

    “Consequently, Channels Television is required to explain why appropriate sanctions should not be applied for these infractions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. Your response should reach the Commission within 24 hours of the receipt of this letter,” the NBC said.

    Ortom, who was a guest on the TV programme on Tuesday morning, had said, “Mr President is pushing me to think that what they say about him, that he has a hidden agenda in this country is true because it is very clear that he wants to fulanise but he is not the first Fulani president.

    “Shagari was a Fulani President, Yar’ Adua was a Fulani President and they were the best in the history. But President Buhari is the worst President when it comes to issues of security and keeping his promises.

    “Go back to 2015, what did he say, human rights issues, he talked about press freedom, about the economy, corruption, security, tell me one that Mr President has achieved.

    “He has achieved some level of development in other sectors but these prominent things that are concerns to Nigerians and we are all worried about.. tell me when Mr President has come out to address them. Is it corruption, we are worse in the history of this country.”

    The outspoken fiery governor had also flayed the President, Buhari’s stance on open grazing. Buhari had approved recommendations of a committee to review 368 grazing sites, across 25 states in the country, “to determine the levels of encroachment.”

    “If Mr President respects the law, the Land Use Act gives governors the power to preside over land administration on behalf of the people that they govern.

    “So it is amazing and I am surprised to hear this coming from Mr President as if he doesn’t have an Attorney General, or Lawyers around him to advise him. I think Mr President was misquoted or he did it out of error. He should come out to apologise to Nigerians,” Ortom had added.

    Recall that TheNewsGuru.com, TNG yesterday published a report on how the presidency tackled the governor on Wednesday and accused him of using sectarian language similar to that of the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, while reacting to the security challenges in his state.

  • Suspected aggrieved WAEC candidates raze Benue school

    Suspected aggrieved WAEC candidates raze Benue school

    Government Secondly School Tse- Agberagba in Benue State has been razed by suspected aggrieved West African Examination Council ( WAEC) candidates.

    The incident happened in the early hours of Sunday.

    Tse Agberagba is the headquarters of Konshisha local Government area in Benue north east senatorial zone.

    According to reports, some aggrieved students whose WAEC registrations were cancelled by the school authorities for irregularities had vowed to set the school ablaze.

    But it could not be determined if they eventually carried out the threat or another group was responsible for the inferno.

    Records of candidates dating to as far back as 1990s were said to have been destroyed with other valuables during the incident.

    The Ministry of Education or Teaching Service Board was yet to react to the incident as at the time of filing this report.