₦airaland Forum

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-363255.0.htm

 

[b]Two Nabbed Over Kidnapping Two-year-old Boy
By Femi Ogbonnikan, Correspondent, Lagos
They had been driving about the Lagos metropolis, pretending to be commuters and unregistered taxi operators popularly called kabu-kabu, but in the actual sense they were looking for prey to be lured into their net so they can dupe the unsuspecting victim.

In going about their nefarious act, Stanley Ifeanyi Ubabuike, Chidi Ani, Ndidi Nwanne (female) Mary Amaechi (female), and Osuagwu would dress up in the morning or anytime of the day and meet at a designated place, particularly at a rush hour when commuters find it difficult to get vehicles to their destinations.

One of them would be on the steering while three would pose as passengers in the car and make allowance for one more passenger that would eventually be their prey or in their own term Mugu.

While those on the field roped in their targets, another set would be somewhere in a house, waiting for them to bring them in. These ones were often referred to as prophets or men of God.

Whenever the foot soldiers made a catch by luring the mugu into fictitious business discussions, they often ended up at their hideout where the prophet would commence his prophecy to the victim. He would be made to swear an oath of secrecy before they would start milking him by making all forms of financial and material demands from him until he was emptied. This gang was smashed recently and the members paraded by the Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Frank Mba, after they allegedly duped one Chinwe Precious Chidi.

Mba while parading the suspects disclosed that the amount of money involved was incidentally not exceptionally high.

“It is an amount that can be described as a very low amount in Nigerian context. But we decided to parade these suspects because we want to send a message clearly that the era of impunity is gone and that such a thing cannot and will not continue to operate without very strong challenge from the society generally and from the police in particular.

“Again, we also saw there is a need for us to expose the modus operandi of this syndicate so that innocent Nigerians, up there could pick up one or two lessons from the way they operate, so that when they are confronted with similar stories, they will be able to react effectively.

“Thirdly, we want to bring out the kind of desperation associated with this kind of crime. The amount involved is about N4,500. But you will be surprised that even as at the time they had taken the victim to a hide out and found that about N2, 500 was with her, they still went with her to an ATM to collect N2,000. That was the level of desperation, the extent they can really go,” Mba said.

He pointed out that for a young lady that could only boast of N2000 in her ATM, “you could also understand her level, and in spite of that, they wouldn’t even show mercy, they wouldn’t even sympathise with her.

“She will tell you how she was hoodwinked and driven to their criminal den and how they attempted to extort money from her. Obviously, if this girl had millions of naira, they would have made millions from her. The amount of money collected from her could be hundreds of thousands to some other persons,” the PPRO noted.

The victim, Precious gave the account of her encounter with the suspects as follows,       

“I was going to work, I was at the Bus Stop waiting for a vehicle. I was there for 30 minutes and one hour, so I saw their vehicle, a car, I stopped it and entered. When I entered, there was an argument for the fare but I usually paid N80 from there to my destination, but the driver said that I had to pay N150, but I insisted that it was between N70 and N80 that I always paid. They said no problem that I should sit down.”

She explained that when they moved to about three bus stops, another argument ensued, this time between the driver and one other passenger, a lady who was in the car before she boarded it. The lady, according to her, was sitting in the front seat beside the driver. The argument with the driver, according to her (victim), was that she would no longer pay the N150 the driver charged her, adding that the driver told her that she entered from a long distance.

“So they were just arguing and the driver parked and said he was no longer going with the woman, vowing that if she was not ready to pay the N150, she should get down from the car. So we started begging him. I even begged on her behalf that he should please allow the woman, since she may no be buoyant enough. So the driver later came in and this time again with another topic.”

The new topic, according to her, was that the lady did not tell him that the carton she loaded in the boot of the car contained money but rather that she lied that the cartons contained Pampas.

The lady, according to the victim, responded that she was trying to escape from her husband.

“She told the driver that she was running away from her husband. That her husband was an Alhaji, alleging that her husband asked her to sleep with a dog.”

She explained that because she refused, her husband started maltreating her and that along the line, he travelled to Saudi Arabia with his business partner and she decided to run away from the house with his money.

The suspect, according to the victim, narrated how her husband kept a secret room in the compound which he did not allow any body to enter, adding that it was when he travelled that she decided to enter the room to know what her husband was hiding only for her to discover cartons of money in the room and decided to escape with one carton, containing N80 million. Some of the cartons, according to her, contained American Dollars.

She allegedly begged for cooperation with the passengers and the driver promising that she would reward them accordingly.

“The driver agreed and asked the remaining passengers to get down for him to take the lady to where she was going. But the elderly man among them called Papa (Ani) pleaded that we were going together, threatening that if they dropped him, he would report the matter to the police. The woman stated pleading and said that she will settle everybody, pledging that if the matter got to the police, the police would take all the money and still charge her to court,” the complainant said.

“I told them that I was going to work and that I did not have such time to waste by going up and down with them, but the driver insisted that if I should be allowed to go, I would reveal the secret and that I should go with them promising that they would give me my own money, asking if I didn’t need money?”

According to her the driver advised he to forget about going to work that day, but to call her employer and tell her that she was ill and may not be able to report for duty that day.

“He said I should not bother about my work, that after sharing the money, I will not bother to work again, but start up my own business,” she added.

According to her, more dimensions were introduced into the story when the woman told them that her husband must have deposited some charm on the money, which would require sanctification or cleansing before the money could be used.

“The driver asked me the church I attended, I said I was a catholic,” adding that by that time, they were approaching her church, St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Alaba International. “So I told them that we could go to my church if that was the case, but one of them objected, claiming that there was a woman of God that could do the work better, stressing that they should go there.” She added that when she asked why they should go that far when her church was closer, the man said that they should go to a place they knew better and that the place was at Igando.

“That was how they took me to Igando. On getting to Igando, they took me to one room, brought a candle and said they were looking for a woman. All of a sudden, a man came out and Papa told him that he was looking for Mama Israel. The man asked whether she was owing us, but the man said no but that we came to find out something from her. The man said Mama Israel died since January, claiming to be her son and e is now the prophet in charge.”

According to her the self acclaimed prophet Stanley Ifeanyichukwu Ubabuike said that the charm they placed on the money was very powerful, stressing that “we needed some materials worth N18,000 from each of us to break it.”

According to her, they told her to bring her own money but that she told them that her salary was not even up to that amount, adding that besides that the month had not ended, and as such had not taken her salary.

“They said that I should try asking how much was in the bag. I told them it was just N2,500. They said I should bring it. After collecting it, they asked me if I did not have ATM card. I told them that my bank was not around there because I use Diamond Bank. They said I should do inter-switch, that was how the driver took me to Oceanic Bank and I withdrew the little money I had. I was having N3,000, but Diamond Bank cannot release all, so I just withdrew N2000. The driver came back and picked me. So after everything, the man said that he had called the people that would bring the spiritual items they would use in washing the money, boasting that God has helped us, that I am a young millionaire now. He said that my own share of the money was N16 million. They said that the money in the carton was N80 million and that there was a prophecy that the money should be shared equally. They said if I really wanted to use the money, they needed to wash the money with 10 percent of our money each meaning that I would have to bring N1.6m.”

She claimed that they urged her to get her own money because they all had means of getting theirs.

“I said that there was no way I could get such money, but they said that if I was determined to get it, I could get it. The man was kind of prophesying for me and asked where I worked and I told him. So he commanded me that I should go there and bring my boss’ money, because I was the person depositing money for my company in the bank. But I told them that in the past three months, they had not sent me to the bank and that I cannot make it. They insisted on any amount that I could make even if it was N100,000. I told them I could not.”

At that point, she said they said that all of them should go into covenant that nobody, no man of God, even her parents should know about their transaction. “But I told them that if I took even N20,000 to my house, my mother would ask me how I got it.”

The victim claimed that it was in the process of the argument that security operatives came into the matter.

The suspects incidentally confessed their involvement to the crime but ascribed it to the circumstances and conditions they found themselves.

One of the suspects said he joined the business barely two to three years ago. But the prophet said none of them could be said to be the leader of the gang as each played various role when a prey mugu fell into their net.

“All of us are involved, but before I started it I was duped of millions of naira. After two years they were still asking me to come and take money but due to frustration, I had to join them, not that any body is interested in crime,” he said.

The suspect who said he had worked in the bank but started spare parts business with his shop at Apapa when the bank became distressed in 1987 said his encounter with fraudsters who duped him was in 1995, adding that there after he traveled to Ghana and later came back to join the people that duped him when the going became too bad.

“I don’t know how many people that have fallen victim to me. There is no special role as per the prophet thing I played. It is all about conspiracy, the ultimate target is to make money. It is just greed. There is no money in all these things the girl is saying. If she is not greedy, she will not come to look for N80million,” the self-appointed prophet asserted.

He equally admitted in an interview with journalists that it was also greed that made him fall victim. He said he had OND from IMT Enugu in 1985 and dropped out from the University where he was reading Economics due to financial constraints.

“I was a standard clerk in the bank, I am a Christian, a Catholic, My name is Ifeanyi, I am 42years-old I am single.

One of the ladies among the suspects Ndidi Nwanne says she is married with three children who are between the ages of 4 and 8. She claimed that her husband was late.

The suspect who claimed that she is from the Igbo speaking part of Delta State said: I don’t have any special role, none of these men is my boy friend or relation to my late husband, I regret what I have done.”

For Mary Amaechi, a another female suspect who claimed to be an indigene of Umiahia and married, her husband is in Lagos but very sick. She added that he does not know the nature of the business she does.”

Chidi Ani a.k.a Papa from Nkanu in Enugu said he was just new in the business. [/b]

http://www.independentngonline.com/DailyIndependent/Article.aspx?id=5111

[b]The road situation in Abia State
By Iyke Ogbonnaya
Wednesday, December 16, 2009


Aba in Abia State
Photo: Sun News Publishing 
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As a stake holder and keen observer in what obtains in Abia State, I have chosen not to concern my self or lose sleep over the activities of apostles of darkness who delights in feeding fat from fanning the embers of discord in the State.

Some Political jobbers have chosen to walk the path of dishonour and character assassination, so long as it will put food on their table. That is why the recent vituperations come shameful media outing of the defeated PDP gubernatorial candidate in Abia State; Onyema Ugochukwu will amount to nothing to those who are in constant possession of armoury of mud that chronicled his catastrophic stint at Niger Delta Development Commission.

Our people say that ‘ the ability of any man to make good use of the little in his possession, is the yard stick for measuring his ability to make better use of bigger responsibilities.’ If Onyema Ugochukwu could not impact the lives of Abians, when he held brief as the N.D.D.C. Chairman, other than a road that passed through his home town, your guess will be as good as mine, as to what will become of Abia State, if he had made it to government house Umuahia.
Abians would have been provided with alcohol in place of water and cigarette to light up their spirit in place of electricity.

I have also chosen not to give a hoot about the recent aspersions on the PPA led government of Governor T.A.Orji, boldly promoted by Enyinnaya Abaribe, the Senator representing Abia South Senatorial District. Its unfortunate and rather disgraceful, to observe that when Representatives from other States are working in synergy with one another (not minding Party Leanings) to better the lots of their respective Federal Constituencies and Senatorial Districts, the only reward accruing to Abians from some of our Representatives are divisions, rancour, hatred and bitterness occasioned by Political cleavages and loyalty similar to what obtains in rival secret cults.

If the interest of Abia State is in the priority of PDP National Chairman Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, will the Federal Minister for Works ignore or disregard same by refusing to visit Abia, when he visited a sister State, Imo? Why must the interest and welfare of the people be sacrificed at the altar of Political interest and membership? Mouthpiece of the Federal Government, Dora Akunyili made us believe that contracts for some strategic Federal roads in the State viz: Aba -Owerri Road have been awarded but as I script this piece contractors are yet to be mobilized to site. But even when the Governor came to the peoples rescue by mobilizing Zerock Construction to site, Federal Government is not blinking an eyelid, in making sure the financial implications are defrayed.

At the Governors concern and intervention, JPross Construction Company has invaded Aba Port Harcourt Road and yet we have Federal and Senatorial Representatives, who could put in a word for the interest of the State they are supposed to be representing.

Abians will recall the Governor assuring at different times and fora that normal work will resume at all the road construction sites going on in the State. I personally verified and considered it appropriate to bring to public domain, the veracity of the Governors Executive pronouncements.

But as earlier on somewhere highlighted am, not going to dissipate energy joining issues with political moles who should bury their heads in shame for wanting to crumble a political empire {P.P.A.} which emerged in an incredible manner and for which Nigerians are yet to overcome the shock of its unprecedented performance.

Let me at this juncture; crave your indulgence to embark on a comprehensive analysis of the road situation in Abia State:

FEDERAL ROADS
Our point of departure in this instance will begin from the well-known Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriageway. Not only that this road has been in a terrible state of disrepair, the deadliest of the failed sections are mostly within Abia territory. These include but not limited to Ishiagu { Enugu} and Umuchieze junction, Okigwe { Imo} and Ofeme junction, Ubakala and Ntigha junction. The nightmare continued from Osisioma to Obehie junction and terminating between Obuaku City and Imo River Bridge. The poser which is yet to be properly addressed, is why the only noticeable repairs so far carried out on that road, began and stopped within the Enugu axis, while the Abia end are nothing short of death traps.

Same is the case with Aba-Ikot Ekpene road. Three major failed sections of that Federal road are giving motorist the trouble of their lives, while many are not even alive to tell the story. Except for the recent and praise worthy intervention of Governor T.A. Orji, Abians’ residing towards Akwa- Ibom boarder would have been forced to flee their homes located within another Federal road in the State: Umuahia- Umudike-Ariam-Akwa Ibom road. Apart from its being in a deplorable condition, Federal Government did not see anything wrong in not providing for its repairs in the 2009 appropriation bill.
2009 is winding up, and yet nothing has been done in the Umuahia-Bende-Ohafia Federal Roads which the Federal Government claimed was provided for in 2009 Appropriation Bill.

May be the failed-portions covering over 46kilometres would be repaired when all the users are consumed. What do we then say about another very important Federal Road: Ohafia-Arochukwu Road? It is nothing short of a war torn area, leaving motorists to ply mostly on red earth as a result of washed off asphalt

It is pertinent for us to know of other Federal Roads in the State where the inhabitants do not even know if the acronym; Federal Government is in existence: Aba-Azumini, Olokoro-Ahiaukwu-Itaja Okwu-Obohia-Ikwuano Roads and Ikot Ekpene-Arochukwu-Ikot Okpra-Ikom Road. Natives of these towns, who grew up to discover they are from these places have since accepted their fate, since they cannot fight God for locating them there.

A critical issue that has remained irreconcilable is Federal Government’s continuous and despicable attitude of laying claim over these essential vehicles of human life and yet would be brazenly callous not to live up to their responsibilities. Even when Abia State has risen up to the occasion Federal Government would continue to behave as if there is a competition going on. The people who are quick to embark on a misguided criticism of the State Government, cares little or nothing about these important variables, or if you like under whose jurisdiction the roads fall. And the fact that Federal Government is never forthcoming when there are refunds to honour. Governor T. A. Orji has continuously taken the federal government cold-shoulder by his stride.

This is evidently manifested in his desire to ensure the adequate provision of democratic dividends to the people. The federal government abdication of their responsibilities has left the state with the onerous task of channelling billions of scarce resources into the construction and resuscitation of federal roads in the State. These have led to the pleasant scenario of having Zerock Construction Company build and complete the express-junction –Ossah-Ibiam Road in Umuahia. With the rain having subsided, New Idea Construction Company has been mobilised to site for effective construction and dualization of the Federal Road cutting across Umuahia and Ubakala Town. Readers would recall my earlier hint that Zerock Construction Company Limited is expertly undertaking repairs of the federal roads covering Abayi-Aba-Ohabiam Towns.

Even as the Federal Road linking Aba-Port Harcourt has since been invaded by J.Pros Construction Limited. I am also aware that the strategic importance of Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Federal Road has been the yardstick for its constant maintenance through the pouring of several tippers of granites and hard cores.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/freekick/2009/dec/16/freekick-16-12-2009-001.htm
•Iyke Ogbonnaya wrote in from Umuahia[/b]

igbo hoe.

;d

Nezan:
And which part of Nigeria doesnt have its own share of poor and ignorant people. You talk as if Benue state is not located in Nigeria, or are you living in wonderland? Go to Lagos, you will see poor people who sleep under bridges, go to Abuja, you will see people living in slums that even my grand dad in the village will refuse to sleep in. Grow up, poverty and ignorance is all over Nigeria, and there are many states in Nigeria that Benue people are far off better than.

Nezan:
You can choose to be mischevious, that is your cup of tea. As far as I am concerned, about a third of every of Nigeria’s 36 states have HIV infection rates of over 5%, so the HIV pandemic is not limited to Benue. See source here

May be you don’t know, but Nigerians are rushing to South Africa these days despite the fact that South Africa has a higher prevalence rate of HIV than Nigeria. You can also learn here

Nezan:
You can choose to be mischevious, that is your cup of tea. As far as I am concerned, about a third of every of Nigeria’s 36 states have HIV infection rates of over 5%, so the HIV pandemic is not limited to Benue. See source here

May be you don’t know, but Nigerians are rushing to South Africa these days despite the fact that South Africa has a higher prevalence rate of HIV than Nigeria. You can also learn here

400,000 People living with aids in Benue.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-363255.0.htm

NnamdiN:
abeg make thunder help me fire your mama.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-244102.0.html
igbos in south Africa are into 419,Drug dealing,etc.
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-244102.0.html

[b]2009 BUDGET: Discouraging Score Card From The States
By Armsfree Ajanaku Onomo

AT about this time last year, a flurry of activities had gripped the different governments houses, and States Houses of Assembly across the country. In elaborate ceremonies, budgets were presented to legislators who in turn poured through the documents, made a few adjustments and returned same to the chief executives for assent. Pronto, the appropriation bills became laws, by which government spending was regulated.

Mindful of the need to impact on the lives of the citizenry, and justify the high office they occupy, many of the state governors also ensured that their budgets came with some high sounding titles. It was thus not unusual to hear phrases such as; "budget of consolidation and accelerated economic development," among many other very creative and high-sounding sobriquets. This in the main reflects the desires of some of the governments across the states to make an impact on the people.

With the year coming to an end however, very few state governments have shown any form of willingness to discuss how they have fared with respect to the implementation of the 2009 appropriation in their states. Now, as the year comes to a close, no one is hearing the same kind of loud noise that accompanied the processes between, the presentation and signing of the budgets. Politicians are not known to be reticent; they would always take to the rooftops to trumpet whatever achievements they feel they have had. The deafening silence on the part of the various state governments may be correctly interpreted as, a sign that majority of them did not fare well, with regards to implementing their budgets.

Unfortunately, this comes at a time when many Nigerians are still struggling to recover from the emasculating effects of the global financial crisis. Virtually all known indicators have tended to show that the nation's oil wealth has not reflected positively in the living standard of the people. While the 2009 budget at the federal level is said to have failed because of the lack of capacity and corruption in the bureaucracy, it is difficult to point to one state where remarkable development has taken place.

Lagos has shown some signs of development, but that is a different thing from strict adherence to the budget principle. What was the target of the 2009 budget; what are the allocations to the different sectors; how much of monitoring and oversight has the legislature carried out and what is the percentage of transparency and participation by the public?

Lagos budget N405 billion, and it targeted at least 208.8 billion in internally generated revenue. Knowing that depending on proceeds from the federation account alone would not help the cause of transforming the city, the government has tried to consolidate its aggressive revenue generation drive. Governor Babatunde Fashola put it thus recently: "On the expenditure side, our main focus remained on the improvement of living conditions throughout the state, hence the 60 percent allocation to capital projects as opposed to 40 percent for recurrent expenditure. Our economic policy thrust was poverty eradication and sustainable economic growth through infrastructure renewal and development."

Although the Lagos State House of Assembly is yet to give its verdict on the review of the state's 2009 appropriation, the government has made it known that as at September this year, the state had attained a budget performance level of 70 percent. The Fashola administration says the performance level is roughly equivalent to the 71 percent aggregate internally generated revenue achieved by all relevant agencies during the same period. Many would be inclined to believe the 70 percent performance level given by the government largely because of the efforts being made by the government to transform the state, through the provision of infrastructure.

Apart from Lagos, and a few others, some are unable to justify the resources that have accrued to them thus far. Although the activities of Niger Delta militants impacted negatively on the revenue projections of government at all levels throughout 2009, those with the drive and the right policies have been able to deliver.

In Rivers State for example, the conclusion of experts is that the huge figure of N432billion has not actually reflected in crucial areas. As such, Rivers is said to fare badly in many of the development indices.

In Edo, Governor Adams Oshiomhole complained about the late passage of the budget, but his efforts in road rehabilitation and the establishment of the Edo Youth Empowerment Scheme (EDO-YES) have underlined the administration's determination to impact on the people.

In Benue, Governor Gabriel Suswam does not have much to show for monies appropriated in 2009. The slow pace of activities is attracting criticisms to the governor, who was commended for a job well done in 2008. All of sudden, Benue seems to have lost its image as a vast construction site when Suswam first came in. In the area of road construction feelers in Benue have it that the budget has failed to yield the desired results.

In Ondo, the change of guards at the government house in February, which resulted in the emergence of Segun Mimiko as governor, and the attendant political bickering took its toll on the implementation of the budget.

Immediately he came on board, governor Mimiko halted on-going projects.

On the whole, one of the states that encountered difficulties is Cross River, which had to slash its budget by 20 percent, after 76 of its oil wells were transferred to neighbouring Akwa Ibom State. The State has had to also cut its allocation to critical sectors like education and health.

Beyond this, the inability of many the states to implement their budgets, is the issue of dwindling revenue from the federation account. Many of the states are also yet to strengthen their capacity to generate revenues internally through taxation and other levies. The over dependence on proceeds from the federation account had its drawbacks due to events in the Niger Delta.

In October for example revenue received by the Federal Government from crude oil was N148.98 billion or 29.82 per cent short of the budgeted estimate of N449.98 billion in the second quarter ended June, 2009. The oil revenue profile, which was net of costs and other deductions, fared better in the first quarter, in which receipts fell below budgeted estimate by N102.56 billion or 22.63 per cent.

According to the Budget Office, indications from NNPC suggest that improvement in receipts in January 2009, from oil companies, which were indebted to government, is largely responsible for this. On the whole, the gross federally collectible revenue for 2009 was projected at N5.305 trillion, with a quarterly and half-year estimate of N1.326 trillion and N2.652 trillion respectively.

In the end, it is pertinent to point out that the leadership across the states of the federation would have to work harder in order to meet up with the very high expectations of Nigerians, many of whom are yet to feel the impact of governance in their lives[/b]

[b]Obi of Onitsha: Police arrest another suspected kidnapper
National News Dec 13, 2009 By  Vincent Ujumadu

AWKA— THE Anambra State Police Command says it has arrested one of the people, who  attempted to kidnap the Obi of Onitsha and Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rrulers, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe at his palace in October this year in Onitsha, bringing to three the number of suspects so far arrested over the incident.

Briefing newsmen at the headquarters of the State Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) at Awkuzu in Oyi Local Government Area of the state, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Philemon Leha gave the name of the arrested suspect as Ugochukwu Igbokwe, a native of Nekede in Owerri, Imo State.

According to the police, the suspect confessed to the crime and named four other people as members of his gang, adding that investigations into the matter is continuing.

It will be recalled that two members of the gang were killed during a shootout with the police on the day of the incident, which also claimed the life of a woman selling bean cakes in the neighbourhood. The police also recovered weapons from the hoodlums, who came to Igwe Achebe’s palace in  SUV cars.

Parade suspected criminals
The police also paraded 35 suspects, who were alleged to be involved in armed robbery and cult activities in various parts of the state.

According to the command, the rate of crime in the state has reduced considerably since the current Commissioner took over in September, adding that the redeployment of many officers and men, as well as mounting of check points at strategic places had helped to check the movement of the criminals.

“Between September and now, there has not been any robbery incident in the state. Though there were few cases of high profile kidnappings between September and October, the state has been relatively quiet,” the police said.

  [/b]

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/12/13/obi-of-onitsha-police-arrest-another-suspected-kidnapper/

igbos.

jesu.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-363255.0.htm.
The Gov is more worried about Ogogoro, When he has about 400,000 people living with HIV in his State. 
[b]Gov’s aide
National News Nov 28, 2009 By Peter DURU, UMakurdi
The Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor on HIV/AIDS and other Communicable diseases Mrs. Maria Idu has disclosed that no fewer than 400,000 persons have been identified as carriers of the dreaded HIV/AIDS virus in the state.
Speaking at a Media briefing to mark this year’s World AIDS Day in Makurdi, the Adviser noted that the spread of the disease in the state must be checked in order to stem its ravaging effects on the productive sectors of the state’s economy.

Idu who stressed that the state government has not failed on its part to ensure that hospitals are stocked with Anti Retroviral drugs urged the people to undertake mandatory test and counseling in order to know their status.

She lamented that the most avoidable factor driving the HIV epidemic in Benue State is stigma and discrimination among people living with the virus.

The Adviser moreover disclosed that the state government has so far established 22 treatment sites across the state in order to avail carriers of the various free medication and counseling.

She further posited that government has taken the challenge posed by the virus especially amongst mothers and their new born babies by establishing 52 mother- to- child prevention and treatment centers in parts of the state.

Mrs. Idu asserted that more of the centers would be established next year to cater for infected mothers and babies across the state.

According to her, the state government has provided a leeway for a collaboration between the National Poverty Eradication Prograame NAPEP and the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS NPLWH in order to provide assistance to the network and ensure a better life for the infected.

In his remarks at the occasion, the Benue State NUJ Chairman Mr. Terlunmun Nyifan urged journalists in the state to team up with government in the renewed fight to stem the spread of the disease in Benue State.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/11/28/400000-people-have-hivaids-in-benue-gov%e2%80%99s-aide/[/b]