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Tag: Benue

  • Nigeria Immigration repatriates 18 Cameroonian

    Nigeria Immigration repatriates 18 Cameroonian

    The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Benue Command, on Monday, sent back home 18 Cameroonian irregular immigrants residing in Makurdi.

    The State Comptroller, Mr Jerry Omezi, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Makurdi.

    Omezi said the Command got intelligence report that a residence in Makurdi, precisely No. 22, Jonah Jang Crescent, Nyiman, was housing irregular immigrants.

    “The place was identified, our officers were detailed to carry out surveillance there and they identified 18 Cameroonians, who had no travel documents.

    “On questioning them, it was discovered that they are here operating a foreign based online marketing company known as Qnet.

    “Further investigation revealed that the business was in health care products, jewelries and cosmetics.

    “The Head of the online marketing business, Anyi Emmanuel Aberafo, who also had no travel documents, said they invested about 600.000 CFA, an equivalent of N900.000, in the business,” Omezi explained.

    He said the arrested persons were economic immigrants, who had no valid travel documents, hence NIS would not let them stay in Nigeria.

    The Comptroller advised them to go back and follow the due process of migration, while assuring them of a decent manner of taking them back to their country.

    Omezi further added that vehicles were already on ground to take them to the border, to be handed over to the Border Comptroller for repatriation.

    He, however, said that a lady among the group had applied for a refugees status because of the crisis in Cameroon which the UN High Commissioner for refugees (UNHCR), is processing.

  • Benue: APC wins Guma I State Constituency rerun election

    Benue: APC wins Guma I State Constituency rerun election

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Guma I State Constituency in Benue, Mr Terwase Uche, has been declared winner of the rerun election by Returning Officer, Prof Julius Ikya.

    Ikya declared Uche as the winner of the rerun election on Saturday in Daudu, the constituency headquarters.

    Declaring the result, the returning officer said that Uche polled 5,289 to defeat the PDP candidate who polled 4,134 while the Labour Party (LP) candidate scored 2,833.

    The constituency has six council wards namely Mbabai, Mbadwem, Mbawa, Nyiev, Uvir and Mbayev Yandev.

     

  • BREAKING: Suspected herdsmen kill 15 in Benue community

    BREAKING: Suspected herdsmen kill 15 in Benue community

    No fewer than 15 persons were killed in Ugboju community in the Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State by suspected armed herdsmen.

    The attackers, who have been conducting relentless attacks on the area for the past two weeks, invaded the village on Wednesday evening, leaving locals in distress.

    According to eyewitnesses, many people are still missing, and search parties are actively combing the bushes for any remaining survivors.

    Godwin Edoh, the member representing Agatu Constituency in the State House of Assembly, decried the fresh wave of killings, confirming the incident occurred on Wednesday.

    Edoh said, “I’m frustrated as a representative of my people by their cries. I have forwarded all the gory photos of the bodies recovered to the WhatsApp lines of both the governor and his deputy.”

    Details to follow…

  • Ward executives suspend Benue APC chairman

    Ward executives suspend Benue APC chairman

    Mr Augustine Agada, the Chairman of the Benue chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) has been suspended by his Ehaje Ward 1 executives for alleged anti-party activities.

    This is contained in a letter signed Mr Godwin Abah, the APC Ward Chairman of Ehaje Ward 1 in Ogbadibo Local Government Area (LGA) of the state on Wednesday in Makurdi.

    Abah said that the suspension followed a Vote of No Confidence passed on the Chairman by the ward executives after he failed to appear before them to clear his image on the alleged anti-party activities.

    “Agada’s failure to appear before the Ward Disciplinary Committee to address the allegations against him ins pite of invitation to him to do so; the Ward Executives found compelling evidence on Agada working against the party’s interest in the Benue South during the 2023 elections.

    “These anti-party activities included: campaigning for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Sen. Abba Moro; dampening the morale of APC supporters and encouraging anti-party activities within the ward, and losing his own polling unit (Ai-Igado Ehaje 1) in the presidential, senatorial, and House of Representatives election,” he said.

    Abah added:“We believe this is necessary to deter future anti-party activities and foster unity among party members.”

    Reacting, Agada, told newsmen in Makurdi that the purported suspension had no effect as those who signed the letter were not officials of his ward.

    Agada also said that the APC ward chairman of Ehaje Ward 1 was Mr Peter Onoja and not Mr Godwin Abah.

  • Onjeh petitions Benue APC chairman over alleged anti-party activities

    Onjeh petitions Benue APC chairman over alleged anti-party activities

    Mr Daniel Onjeh, All Progressives Congress (APC) 2023 Senatorial candidate for Benue South, has submitted a petition to the party National Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, against Mr Austin Agada, the party’s Benue chairman over anti-party activities.

    He made this known on Friday in Abuja while addressing newsmen.

    The 13-page petition was addressed to Sen. Abdullahi Ganduje, the APC National Chairman.

    The petition is titled:” Petition against anti-party activities by the Benue APC Chairman and others, targeted at my candidature”.

    Onjeh, also a former Chairman of the Projects Development Institute (PRODA), Enugu, Governing Board, called for the immediate suspension and investigation of Agada over his handling of Benue APC.

    He said he wrote ahead of the 2023 general elections to alert the APC national chairman about the shoddy activities in Benue APC.

    This, he said was especially with regards to handling of the party’s polling unit agents for the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections in Benue South by the state chairman.

    Onjeh said he also emphasised how the development constituted an imminent threat to his senatorial ambition.

    He alleged that the Benue APC chairman and his acolytes compromised the 2023 senatorial election in Benue South in favour of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “This explains why in spite of winning three out of the four House of Representatives seats in Benue South during the last general elections.

    “The APC still lost both the senatorial and the presidential elections to the opposition.

    “If you care to research the history of elections in Nigeria, you will discover that it has never happened in any other elections, aside the 2023 general elections in Benue South.

    “Where a particular party won three out of four House of Representatives seat in a senatorial district and yet lost the senate,” the APC chieftain said.

    Onjeh also alleged that among Agada’s anti-party activities was sourcing funds from APC stalwarts at the state and national levels under the guise of party funding, only to fund opposition parties and candidates.

    He said he attached the alleged receipts of financial transactions he stumbled on, confirming cash contributions Agada made to the campaign of an opposition candidate through a proxy to the petition.

    “Also attached, was the certified bank statement for the period of the aforementioned transactions, showing the cash credits to proxy account,” he said.

    Onjeh further alleged it was easy for Agada and his cohorts to perpetrate the electoral fraud against him during the last general elections because they used compromised agents in Benue South.

    This, he said was the reason the APC equally lost the presidential election in the senatorial district.

    The APC chieftain stated that it became imperative for him to write the petition in order to sanitise the party in Benue South and to serve as a deterrent to the APC Benue chairman and his cohorts.

    He expressed optimism that the petition would also serve as a deterrent to others who may contemplate perpetrating anti-party activities in the future.

    He further stated that he sought to consolidate the party’s grip on power in Benue, as well as to end all the crises rocking the chapter.

    Onjeh also alleged all the crises in Benue APC were traceable to the anti-party activities of its leadership.

    “Copied in the petition was President Bola Tinubu, Gov. of Benue, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, INEC National Chairman and Agada.

    “Finally, I seek to encourage all APC members in Benue to repose new confidence in the leadership of the party, understand Ganduje,” Onjeh said.

  • Akpanaja airstrike: Ortom deserves an apology

    Akpanaja airstrike: Ortom deserves an apology

    By Fredrick Adebayo

    After one year, the Nigerian Air Force has taken responsibility for the January 23, 2023 airstrike in Akpanaja community of Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State which claimed 37 lives.

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, who led senior officials of the Air Force on Friday, to pay a courtesy call on Governor Abdullahi Sule in Lafia, accepted responsibility over the incident on behalf of the Force.

    The service Chief said “Sometime in January last year, airstrikes were conducted in the state after intelligence revealed the sighting of suspected terrorists on motorcycles transiting near Rukubi in the Doma local government area of the state. The entire area was well known for its heightened insecurity occasioned by killings, kidnapping, and terrorism perpetrated by terrorist elements in the state. Because of this, the need for an airstrike became imperative but unfortunately however the airstrike killed some civilians at the location and the outcries by several locals as well as Nigerians necessitated a review of the reports of strikes, which later revealed that civilians were indeed killed during the airstrike. The need to make amends became expedient.”

    It will be recalled that shortly after that incident, the deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, in an interview with BBC Hausa, bluntly accused the then Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom of masterminding the bomb attack. He stated:
    “The air strike that took place in Nasarawa was masterminded from Makurdi. We must hold him (Ortom) responsible since we know his position against Fulani. It’s only an investigation that will avail him of the allegations. Why won’t t there be an investigation to reveal who masterminded the bombardment? And who gives orders to the Air force to always launch these airstrikes?”

    Sanusi went as far as making a rallying call asking Benue people especially his Fulani kinsmen to work against the Senate bid of Governor Ortom. He made a video which went viral campaigning vigorously against Ortom. He and 51 other elites mainly of Fulani descent, wrote a petition to the then President Muhammadu Buhari against Governor Ortom in connection with the Akpanaja airstrike. Unconfirmed reports said Sanusi and the other anti-Ortom elites pooled resources together and sponsored the 2023 election against Ortom to ensure that he was defeated during the National Assembly election.

    But the former Benue governor is not one to go down without a fight, so Ortom indeed hit back at Sanusi and his cohorts. In a statement, he stated that some personalities led by Sanusi had made some allegations against him in an attempt to set him up for hatred, vilification and elimination. Governor Ortom wondered why as educated and exposed as the dethroned Emir was, he would resort to telling lies about an elected personality like himself just to suit his purpose. He added that neither himself nor the Benue State Government had the capacity to deploy a drone or any military equipment in any part of the country.

    On 3rd February 2023, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union SOKAPU, in a statement, also carpeted the deposed Emir of Kano, following his comment on Ortom over the bombing in Nasarawa State

    According to SOKAPU, it was preposterous and unfortunate for the former Emir of Kano and top Fulani elites to try to rope Ortom into the incident. The group described as curious and very surprising that Sanusi who had portrayed himself as a nationalist of some kind, “has reduced himself to a narrow champion of his tribesmen” in his desperate move to profile Ortom as evil before his Fulani kinsmen.

    The group warned that nothing must happen to Ortom whom it described as “a great son of the Middle Belt”.

    Now, a whole year has passed. The Akpanaja incident seems to have been forgotten, but families of the victims whom Sanusi and others succeeded in convincing that Ortom was the mastermind might not have forgiven the former Benue State Governor. Today, God, in His own supreme way, has prompted the Nigerian Airforce to visit Nasarawa and take responsibility for the Akpanaja attack. What is however still missing in the picture is the man who was unfortunately and wrongly accused of being behind the attack – Samuel Ortom.

    I urge all men of good conscience to ask Lamido Sanusi and his group of 52 to tender an unreserved apology to Ortom for attempting to set him up against the Fulani race. Though the statement of responsibility by the military has vindicated Ortom and it is a welcome development, an apology from those who fingered the former Benue Governor in the attack is paramount. Such individuals must be made to eat the humble pie and tell him “We are deeply Sorry”.

    Samuel Ortom is a voice of conscience and reason. He stood firmly for his people, was betrayed by some of them who were aided by enemies of Benue State but he never waivered. He paid the price of patriotism and lost his Senate bid. But today, those who betrayed him are worse for it. I understand that security is getting worse in that state by the day.

    Let it be known that posterity will be fair to those who braved the odds to sustain the state of our national sovereignty and spoke as well as acted in defence of citizens of this great country. Samuel Ortom has already secured a place in the annals of Nigeria for his bold, firm and courageous stand towards ensuring that the country works to protect the interests of all citizens, irrespective of their backgrounds.

    Adebayo, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Lagos.

  • Insecurity: Military repels attack on Benue Community

    Insecurity: Military repels attack on Benue Community

    The Troops of Sector 6, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have successfully repelled an attack by bandits on Okokolo community in Agatu Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue.

    The OPWS Force Commander, Maj.-Gen. Sunday Igbinomwanhia, told newsmen in Makurdi on Saturday that the troops forced the bandits to run in disarray after a three-hour battle on Thursday.

    He however said two soldiers and one personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps lost their lives in the encounter while two other soldiers sustained injuries.

    The OPWS force commander said those injured were rushed to Air Force Hospital in Makurdi, and are responding to treatment.

    He said that the troops rushed to the community when they received intelligence that bandits were heading to the area.

    ”Upon inquiry, the troops discovered that suspected bandits are advancing towards the town to attack it and they immediately mobilised and proceeded to Okokolo community, about 15 km from their base at Akwu.

    “On arrival, the troops encountered the bandits carrying out attack on the community and subsequently engaged the criminals in a gun duel that lasted for three hours.

    “The attack was successfully repelled with the terrorists withdrawing in disarray while evacuating their dead and wounded.

    “The success achieved was however at a huge cost, with three of the troops paying the supreme sacrifice to prevent the killing of the inhabitants of Okokolo and the intended sacking of the community.

    “In addition to the death of the two soldiers and one Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel, two other soldiers were wounded and immediately evacuated to the Air Force Hospital in Makurdi,” he added.

    The force commander commended the troops and urged them to put the set back of the loss of their colleagues behind, and remain focused on the mission of ridding the state of all criminal elements.

    He assured the troops that the Chief of Defence Staff was strongly behind them as they battle to restore lasting peace in Benue.

    Igbinomwanhia appreciated Gov. Hyacinth Alia for his support to OPWS, and pledged that the troops would pursue the criminals to their hideouts.

    The state Deputy Gov., Mr Sam Ode, and the OPWS commander, had visited the troops of Sector 6 on Friday at their base in Akwu.

    The visit was to commiserate with them over the death of their gallant colleagues and encourage them not to give breathing space to the criminals.

    Ode who represented the governor, said that the state government would support the treatment of those injured.

  • Benue made a fatal error by voting for Gov Alia-Dr Awunah

    Benue made a fatal error by voting for Gov Alia-Dr Awunah

    An Abuja based public affairs analyst, Dr Peter Awunah has said people of Benue State who voted for Hyacinth Alia as governor committed a fatal error in last year’s election.

    Dr Awunah made this assertion in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja declaring that:

    Benue people who voted Alia in last year’s election must be ashamed of themselves for making such a mistake. Since he came to power, no one can tell the direction that the man who boasts of being the ship that ferried all APC candidates to victory is heading.

    ” There is evident confusion even within his cabinet. There is no clear focus, no coordination and no leadership.

    “Anyone who has visited Makurdi, the Benue State capital in the last seven months must have seen the potholes on all major roads in the town. Makurdi has become dusty, and even the street sweepers are no longer seen in the early hours of the day cleaning the city.

    “The worst situation is in the state ministries, departments and agencies of government. No activity goes on in any of the MDAs. Government House is not left out. According to those who have been there since June last year, the place stinks with no water running in the taps for flushing of toilets.

    “Alia says he is paying salaries of the workers and as far as he is concerned, that’s all that is needed. He doesn’t release overheads and other logistic support to the ministries and agencies for their operations. But the civil servants love it of course, because if they can sit at home all week and still receive their salaries at the end of the month, how is that bad? Productivity is relegated to the background.

    “Governor Alia operates like a parish priest who cannot be questioned. All that the people have to say is “Yes Father”. He gave them that response during the campaigns but they thought he was joking. Now they know better.

    “The man has elevated nepotism to heights never before seen in the history of Benue State. As a former priest, one would expect him to practice what he preached about unity and equality, but no, Alia is a preacher who would tell the people “do as I say, not as I do”.
    There is no tangible project to show since his administration came on board other than failed promises, lopsided appointments, and marginalisation.

    “Alia is sitting on huge money which has come in from Abuja. Benue State has received fat allocations but the Governor is silent on what has come in. As far as he pays the workers, his government is doing nothing else to develop the state.

    “No project is going on anywhere. He awarded contracts for the construction of 16 short streets of 15 kilometers and took out N9 billion for the projects but no construction is taking place on the roads.

    “Alia is not Prepared to govern Benue State. He came ill prepared and is acting exactly in that manner. His first seven months in office are the worst in the state since the return of democracy in 1999. The priest-turned-politician is the most lackluster of all the Benue governors in the last 25 years.

    “Governor Alia has failed to live up to expectations and instead of delivering on his campaign promises, he has taken up unnecessary battles against perceived critics, stakeholders, and his party members. His arrogance, ineptitude, pride, and all-knowing attitude have taken Benue State backward by over two decades.

    “The group of people who are worst hit and must be feeling ashamed are those who campaigned for him and mobilized voters in support of the Yes Father movement.

    “At first, many thought the governor was on a steep learning curve and the ship of the state would be righted and put on the course being an unfamiliar terrain for him. But unfortunately, Alia is not ready to learn or accept his mistakes.

    He explained that: “The governor has become so power-drunk that he is now inaccessible to the electorate, stakeholders, and even his party members. Shame! Effective governance is about feedback and criticism. No one knows it all.

    “Should we talk about his controversial contracts? According to Sahara Reporters, Alia spent whopping amounts in just four months in office awarding fictitious contracts. Between May 29 and September 30th, he was reported to have received and spent more than N46 billion of state resources, prominent among which was the duplication of contracts for the procurement of Hummer buses as palliative measures.

  • Benue fast turning into state of chaos under Alia – PDP

    Benue fast turning into state of chaos under Alia – PDP

    Benue’s Peoples Democratic Party, claims that under Governor Hyacinth Alia’s present administration, the state is degenerating into chaos.

    The party, represented by Bemgba Iortyom, its spokesperson, denounced Terdoo Kenti, the Kwande LGA Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and other members of his Executive Committee’s indefinite suspension.

    He called the behaviour an anomaly that shows Governor Hyacinth Alia’s contempt for democratic principles and his lack of leadership ability, which is causing this folly to come apart.

    According to Mr. Iortyom, the offensive act, which the APC state chapter rightfully disregarded, has no bearing on anything.

    He claimed that Mr Kenti’s suspension was a component of Alia’s autocratic inclination to undermine the state’s constitutional order.

    “PDP observes that while the bizarre suspension order by Revd. Fr. Hule in Kwande is shocking, the party regrets that this serves to fuel the growing impression that Catholic priests, by their command and authoritarian orientation, are unsuitable to political leadership under our liberal democratic setting.” Mr. Iortyom said. “It apes precisely the lawless style of his master, the governor, in Makurdi.”

  • Benue Devt Forum hails NASS members for attacking state concerns on national Tv

    Benue Devt Forum hails NASS members for attacking state concerns on national Tv

    The Benue Development Forum has commended the Benue APC National Assembly members, comprising both Senators and House of Representatives Members over their timely advise on Gov. Hyacinth Alia, the Governor of Benue State which was aired on Channels TV on December 21, 2023.

    In a statement issued by its National President, Terrence Kuanum, he condemned in totality the sponsored media attacks by the Benue Government against anyone who tries to put the government in checks.

    According to him, the National Assembly Members delved into crucial issues such as the Governor’s undemocratic conduct, state matters, security challenges, nepotism, and the overall well-being of Benue’s populace.

    Comrade Kuanum noted that the National Assembly members were right when they said the activities of our governor were undermining our hard fought democracy and the security of our people has been compromised by the state government which has resurrected the long fought and won battle against criminal elements in Sankera.

    He further notes that It is absolutely correct that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has patronized Benue a lot by paying attention to the security situations within the middle belt and governors who are ready to protect their people are experiencing peace as seen in the once ravaged territories of Southern Kaduna, plateau, Taraba and Nasarawa states urging the Benue Governor to emulate his counterparts.

    The forum noted also that the governor’s poor handling of the economy has made the state poorer and hungry, with a high rate of unemployment summing up.

    The forum also decries the Governor’s notorious nepotism as it has grossly affected the unity in the state noting that almost all key appointments have been given to people from his Kyan State Constituency of Vandeikya local government.

    Despite facing sponsored media attacks, the National Assembly Members remain steadfast, raising crucial issues unanswered by the governor. The Benue Development Forum stands firmly behind these patriotic representatives, commending their sacrifices and unwavering commitment to the state.

    The Benue Development Forum urges the governor to come down from his high horse and listen to critical stakeholders who have been offering viable solutions for fixing security, economy and other critical issues to move the state forward.

    Lastly, the forum urge the Alia administration and its agents to focus on their mandate of providing leadership to alleviate the suffering of the people and desist from vilifying and castigating true nationalists and patriots like our National Assembly members and our stakeholders.