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Governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Benue State, Dr. Paul Angya, has promised to ensure infrastructural transformation in Benue State if elected as governor in 2019.

Angya made the promise, on Tuesday, in Makurdi, at the flag off of Labor Party campaigns for 2019 election.

He lamented what he described as ‘infrastructural decay, socioe-conomic issues, decay in educational system as well as non functional industries and lack of jobs’.

He, however, pledged to redeem the image of the State by embarking on digital agricultural system and generate electricity to power industrial revolution of the Food Basket hub of the nation.

Angya, a one-time acting Director General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) stated further that his government would make the welfare of the people especially workers a top priority.

“Labor party is a party with the biggest structure which is the worker. We will end the era of marginalisation of workers and misapplication of state resources.

“We will rather, engage all segments of the society including workers, students and market women in governance”, he promised.

Commenting on the issue of zoning of governorship seat in the state, Angya who frowned at the development, said zoning should be jettisoned because it breeds mediocrity.

“I urge our supporters yo be steadfast and not sell the future of the State to pittance. Labor party is bound for victory and glory.

“We will take Benue State out of the pithole of poverty,” Angya vowed.

At the event, flags were presented to all candidates of the party contesting for various elective positions including a former chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Comrade Kris Atsaka.

While we hear of people having a last wish as regards what they want or how they would love to be buried after they die, there are quite a few that are considered weird and somewhat bizarre.

Well, brace up as you're about to read about a last wish that will leave your jaws hanging. A man from Benue state has become the talk of many people on social media after pictures from his burial ceremony surfaced online.

While many people would expect to see a casket or the body wrapped in white clothes as is the case with some religions, this elderly man identified as Ajingir Tsa, was pictured being buried on a mattress, covered in bedsprea.

According to a Facebook user identified as Aoraan Festus, this was the man's dying wish: to be buried with a mattress and not in a casket. The event took place in Konshisha local government area of Benue state.

The post immediately went viral, causing major reactions on social media. While some people weren't so surprised about it and considered it quite economical, others felt it had something to do with fetish beliefs.

Source:[url] https://www.benuepress.com/2018/12/man-granted-his-last-wish-to-be-buried-on-his-mattress-instead-of-casket-in-benue/[/url]

Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ene Okon, yesterday, disclosed that the command had uncovered a plot by an armed gang to attack a second generation bank in the state.

Mr. Okon said in Makurdi that intelligence indicated that the gang planned to strike the state from the eastern part of the country, assuring that the command had fortified security in all banks in the state to forestall the attack.

His words: “We got information that some bad boys are moving from the East to attack a second generation bank in the state and as such the command has fortified all banks in Benue State security-wise.

“Immediately we got the information about the planned attack, we swung into action by visiting all the banks in the state with the information and also held a meeting with them and directed that they all mount closed circuit television, CCTV, in and around their bank premises.

“We have put in place a joint patrol team comprising the Police, DSS, Air Force, Army, Navy and Civil Defence.”

source: https://www.benuepress.com/2018/12/police-uncover-plot-by-gang-to-attack-benue-bank/

Benue State Police Command, on Wednesday, said it had arrested a traditional ruler in Ugboji community, in Edikwu district of Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, Chief Adanu Simon, over a land dispute that claimed two people’s lives.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ene Okon who confirmed the arrest of the traditional ruler and death of the people to our correspondent in his office in Makurdi.

He said that the monarch allegedly masterminded the land dispute between Okwiji community and his Ugbobi community, which resulted in the death of the two persons and destruction of properties.

Okon said, “The crisis started over 20 years ago, but the state government had intervened and peace was restored, but a few months ago, the problem reared its ugly head again and the police stepped in.

He said while an investigation was on going, the chairman of Apa LG came to plead with the police to allow him to resolve the matter but could not return to the police.

“So last Saturday night, the youth of Ugbobi gathered themselves with their militias and attacked the other village called Okwiji, killing two people and when information got to the police, the DPO swung into action and I directed that security be beefed up in that area. As I talk to you normalcy has returned to the area.

“We have made some arrests including the principal suspect, the village head of the area, one Adagbo Simon, who masterminded the crisis and he is helping us with useful information. We have also arrested other suspects who are giving us useful information on the matter.

Our correspondent gathered that the victims were killed in Okwiji by suspected militia allegedly hired by Ugbobi community over a disputed parcel of land said to be rich in oil deposit.

Source: https://www.benuepress.com/2018/12/land-dispute-claims-two-lives-in-benue-monarch-arrested/

There was pandemonium at the Benue state government house, in Makurdi, on Wednesday, December 5, when a section of the complex was gutted by fire.

It was reports that although, no life was lost, the incident, according to witnesses, paralysed government activities within the complex and forced staff of the complex to abandon their duties for a while.

It was gathered that sources within the government house said that the fire started at around 1pm from the transformer close to the generator room located around the account section within the government house complex.

A staff of government house administration who pleaded anonymity was said to have disclosed that the fire started with a thick fume emanating from the transformer which also affected the generator room closed to the accounts section.

The source, however, noted that but for the generator set supplying light to the entire government house which got burnt, the level of damage was not too much as according to him, the combined efforts of workers and the state Fire Service stationed in the complex saved the situation.

“The electric armoured wires supplying light to the account section, the main governor’s office and down to governor’s lodge, were completely burnt down," he stated. The permanent secretary government administration, Iangba Gabriel, who confirmed the incident said that the inferno did not extend to the main account, saying it was the generator plant which tried to malfunction but was immediately shutdown to avoid any damage.

“It was not a serious incident and no damage was done. Those things you saw around the area were debris around the generator room that caught fire.

“People are calling me from Abuja including our people who went to EFCC office, that they heard government house complex particularly the account section was set on fire. Infact, it was not true. The burnt wires and poles were properties of old Nitel not NEPA," Iangba stated.

Source: https://www.benuepress.com/2018/12/fire-reportedly-guts-benue-govt-house-destroys-valuables/

The Federal Executive Council, FEC, Wednesday approved N9.5billion contract variation for the Osegudu-Uweto road in Benue state.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola disclosed this to newsmen after the FEC, presided over by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Minister said that the Usegudu-Uweto road which is now substantially completed, links to the bridge on the Benue side and helps to connect Nasarawa state from the Loko end.

He said the initial cost of the bridge which was put at about N7.9 billion later had a variation of about N1.6, bringing the total sum to N9.5billion. He also explained that the Loko-Uweto road is the bridge that links the North and South of Nigeria.

According to him, “Unlike the old Niger Bridge and the Second Niger Bridge, which links the East and the West, and linking the bridge reduces journey time from that part of the country and the eastern part of Nigeria, especially people who link through Makurdi, Enugu and all of that coming to Abuja.

It would reduce their journey time by a couple of about few days that it currently takes. “The revision for that contract was N1.6bn extra because the contract was awarded using 2010 rates and the contractor asked for review to cushion cost and naira depreciations and council approved that.

“The contractor is on site working and he would feel comforted now that at least his rates has been improved and expect that his certificate would be paid.”

Source: https://www.benuepress.com/2018/12/fec-approves-n9-5bn-contract-variation-for-benue-road/

A group under the auspices of ‘Benue Concerned Citizens’ on Monday accused the former senate minority leader, George Akume, of being responsible for the under-development of the state.

Chairman of the group, Tim Nyor, at a press conference held at the NUJ secretariat, Makurdi, said that the former governor represented the worst of the state.

Senator Akume was reported to have blamed Governor Samuel Ortom for the mass killings in the state.

Akume had reportedly said, ‘it is Ortom who brought his brother Tarshaku who was killing Tiv people.’

Nyor who was reacting to the statement said that Senator Akume had always represented the worst of Benue people anytime duty called on him or the people needed him to stand up for the people.

“Senator Akume’s loyalists, unarguably with his endorsement, have orchestrated the production of a song that mocks the very details of the killings in the hinterlands.

“At every time that Benue has needed a man to stand in the gap, Senator Akume has represented the very worst of us. He takes hurrying turns with his fellow party men, to either slight us or sell us short.

“Benue remains undeveloped and top-10 of Nigeria’s poorest states because of the visibility of Akume’s hands.

Source; https://www.benuepress.com/2018/12/youre-architect-of-benues-underdevelopment-group-tells-akume/

A former Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Barr. Sam Ode has emerged the deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State.

Ode, a native of Idoma from Otukpo Local Government Area of the state would now be the running mate of the APC gubernatorial flag bearer, Barr. Emmanuel Jime, instead of one Barr. Vembeh Gbihi Isaac whose name earlier appeared on the list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

It was gathered that the list by the INEC which indicated that the 40-year-old, Isaac, would deputise the APC’s governorship candidate, was a temporal development as the party at the time the commission published the names was yet to resolved whom to choose between the ex-minister and Peace Corps’s Dickson Akor for the position

The party’s decision however finally put to rest the dust that the issue had generated in the political space of the state following opposition parties mocking the APC for its inability to pick a running mate without much ado.

Ode possess several university degrees to include; a B.A in Theatre Arts from University of Jos and LLB in Public and International Law from the University of Abuja. He was recently called to bar after completing the Nigerian Law School in Bwari- Abuja.

The former minister at various times served as Special Assistant to the ex-Governor, Gabriel Suswam, Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Council and Special Adviser, Bureau of Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs during the Suswam’s tenure and minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs as well as being a Board Chairman of Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority in the President Goodluck Jonathan’s era.

Source: https://www.benuepress.com/2018/12/former-minister-ode-replaces-akor-as-jimes-running-mate-in-benue/

Gov. Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has said that the people of the state have resolved to “resist any form of intimidation and rigging during the 2019 general elections”.

Ortom stated this on Sunday in Jos, while answering questions from newsmen, shortly after a special Church service.

”We hear that people are scheming to win elections at all cost; some have openly boasted that they will use force to subvert the people’s wish.

”We are on ground and ready to confront anyone with such idea. As long as government is willing to conduct free and fair elections, we are there to support them.

”But if anyone attempts to do otherwise, the people will resist that. There is no doubt about it,” he said.

Ortom, however, appreciated the Federal Government for the prevailing peace in the state and prayed for its sustenance.

He said that his administration would not hesitate to appreciate the Federal Government when the right was done.

”The introduction of `Operation of Whirl Stroke’ has really solved our security challenges in Benue, especially the invasion and attacks by herdsmen.

”Some people are trying to change the narrative. They do not want the outside world to hear the truth. The situation gets more shocking when people, who know the truth, choose to say something different.

”At the moment, we are happy, but when things are not right, it is our duty to voice it out. We shall continue to do that.

”Now, we have appreciated Mr President and the Federal Government for giving us adequate security in the state. If the situation changes tomorrow, we shall shout,” he said.

Ortom also said that the recent engagement of many youths into various ventures was to prepare them to take over leadership roles in Benue, pointing out that the current crop of leaders would not be there forever.

”No matter how lean our resources are, there is every need for us to continue to engage the youths.

”That is the motivating factor and I think that has inspired our youths into gainful ventures instead of going into vices like cultism, drugs and so on,” he said.

Source; https://www.benuepress.com/2018/12/benue-people-will-resist-intimidation-rigging-in-2019-elections-gov-ortom-says/

\No fewer than seven persons were feared dead in a bloody communal land conflict between Okwiji clan in Edikwu district and Ugbobi community in Apa local government area of Benue State.

However, Benue State Police Command disclosed that it recorded two deaths in the crisis.

It was gathered that the victims were killed in Okwiji by suspected militia allegedly hired by Ugbobi community over a disputed parcel of land said to be rich in oil deposit

According to an eyewitness, the crisis between the two communities which dated back several years was renewed recently after a middle aged man was murdered in Edikwu by armed militia from Ugbobi community.

“After the murder of the young man by armed mercenaries alleged to have been hired by Ugbobi people, till date no arrests were made, so the people resorted to taking the fight farther by storming the community with hired mercenaries in order to take over the community said to be rich in oil deposits.

“So early this morning( Sunday) they stormed Okwiji shooting sporadically at people who were going to church killing about seven persons and injuring others after which they razed several houses.

Source: https://www.benuepress.com/2018/12/7-killed-houses-razed-in-fight-over-oil-rich-benue-land/

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has said his life story as a motor park tout (agbero), taxi and truck driver should be a source of inspiration to all less-privileged and downtrodden persons across the world to aspire to greatness and became positive influence on their societies.

Ortom, who spoke yesterday after being endorsed for a second term by members of Benue Tricyclists Association, BETA, in Makurdi, said all the less-privileged persons needed as foundation for greatness was education and moral uprightness.

He said: “I am always very happy when people recall my life story; my days as a garage boy, agbero, and driver. It clearly shows that despite life challenges, you can work hard with the fear of God and aspire to be anything in life.

“Don’t take to drunkenness and drug abuse and forget that you owe yourself and the society a responsibility. For those who have dropped out of school, pick up your life again like I did, go back to the conventional school or distant learning. You are potential leaders of this country.”

Earlier, Chairman of BETA, Bernard Orban, said: “We are in Govern-ment House to endorse you for second term, because you are one of use. “People call us agbero and say we are useless people, but an agbero has become a governor and we must support him, because we know him as a good man who has defended our people from herdsmen attacks and killings.”

Source: https://www.benuepress.com/2018/11/my-story-as-agbero-should-inspire-all-less-privileged-gov-ortom/

The Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says it will attach 40 persons to canvass for votes in every polling unit as part of efforts to ensure victory in the 2019 general elections.

Former Benue governor Gabriel Suswam, who disclosed this on Monday in Makurdi, during an expanded caucus meeting of the party, said that the aim was to ensure that every polling unit was captured toward “total victory”.

“We are targeting overwhelming victory; that is only possible if we can sweep every polling unit,” NAN quoted him as saying.

He added that the campaigns would take a unique dimension so as to have great impact, and challenged PDP members to be “very serious and committed”.

“No one should feel too big to coordinate a ward or polling unit for the overall benefit of the party,” Suswam said.

Former Senate President, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, in his remarks, enjoined all PDP members to participate actively in the campaigns, to ensure victory.

“We have our eyes on victory and shall not allow anything to distract us,” he said.

Source: https://www.benuepress.com/2018/11/apc-vs-pdp-our-strategy-for-2019-election-suswam/

At least, 13 suspected members of a cult group, were Saturday night, reportedly hacked to death during a major fracas with youths of Lessel community in Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State.

It was gathered that the clash, which lasted over two hours, also left several persons with serious injuries.

An eyewitness told newsmen that the crisis started when members of a cult, who were in the town for a meeting, attacked and killed a commercial motorbike operator, whose motorbike they had attempted to snatch.

According to the eyewitness, “The group had come to Lessel town in their numbers on Saturday night for what we gathered was their annual convention.

“They ran into the okadaman, who they engaged to convey some of them to a guest house in Lessel, venue of the meeting where some of them also put up.

“On completing the assignment of conveying them to their destination, the cult members demanded the key of the motorbike, but the rider refused to surrender his bike to them.

“They descended on him and killed him instantly. But the news of the murder filtered into town and the youths in Lessel mobilised and stormed the guest house with dangerous weapons.

“A bloody fight ensued, some of the cult members were hacked to death, while others captured alive led the youths to where other members of the cult were hiding.

“They were all rounded up by the youths. It took the intervention of the Police, who stormed the area, to stop the killing of more cultists, most of whom had been beaten to a pulp by the youths.”

Reacting, Benue State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ene Okoh, said: “When we got the information, my men moved in quickly and arrested 13 persons, who were involved in the fracas, but I can confirm that nine persons were killed in the clash.”

Source: https://www.benuepress.com/2018/11/13-killed-over-murder-of-motorcyclist-in-benue-community/

Members of Benue Redeemers Vanguard, BRV, yesterday raised concerns over what it described as the antics of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Benue North East senatorial candidate, Mrs. Mimi Adzape-Orubibi to allegedly obtain the voters’ cards of her constituents through unacceptable means.

Addressing the media in Makurdi, President of BRV, Comrade Fanen Datso and Secretary Aondover Tor, also accused the senatorial candidate of allegedly obtaining sums of money from her constituents through promises of getting them enrolled into the Food Vendor and other components of the Social Investments Programme.

“The unjustifiable act started in Kwande local government area on October 24 where the sum of N2,000 is being collected from members of the unsuspecting public in the guise of recruiting them into the Food Vendor and other components of the Social Investments Programme namely N-Power and Conditional Cash Transfer.

“It is also alleged that her agents in charge of these activities are collecting voters identification numbers and in some instances photocopying the Permanent Voters’ Cards of the victims. “We implore the general public not to pay any dime to these agents as information gotten from the National Social Investment indicated that there is no recruitment into the programmes at the moment.

The group urged the APC senatorial candidate and her agents to desist forthwith with the said act, adding, “we also wish to draw the attention of the National Social Investment office to these unwholesome activities. “We call on the law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter to avoid a break down of law and order when those who paid to be recruited demand for their monies when the purpose of payment is not met.”

But is a swift reaction, the senatorial candidate through her Media Assistant, Terna Francis said the accusation was false, unfounded, baseless and intended to tarnish her reputation and present her good deeds for her people in bad light for political reasons. Explaining Francis said, “I couple of months ago, Mrs. Mimi Adzape-Orubibi met with the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Investment Programme in Abuja. In the cause of their discourse, it was noted that Benue had largely benefited only from N-Power and little from the Home Grown Feeding Programme.

“The other programmes under the scheme such as Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) and others were completely ignored in Benue owing to lack of awareness from the state office. “In a swift response to the above, the APC Senatorial flag bearer met with the management of a bank (name withheld) who accepted to step down the account opening fee from N5,000 to N2,000 due to economic hardship on the condition that the bank officials will be transported to the various locations and their feeding taken care of by the senatorial candidate.

“According to the bank, once the account is opened, the balance from the N2,000 will be credited therein after the statutory deduction for ATM card and the respective account owner alerted. As at the time of writing this rejoinder, many have received their account details as well as their ATM cards. On the subject of Voter Identification Number (VIN), it is only one who is ignorant of the requirements for opening of account that will question why bankers should request for any mode of identification which includes voter’s card since very few rural dwellers have International Passport, Driver’s license or National I.D card, even though no premium was placed on the former.”

Source: https://www.benuepress.com/2018/11/group-accuses-benue-apc-senatorial-candidate-of-scam-purchase-of-pvc/

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has accused one of his predecessors, George Akume, of being one of the enemies of the people that are unleashing terror on the state.

The governor, who spoke on Saturday in an interview in Lagos through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Terver Akase, said the people of the state were shocked to hear Akume blaming the killings on the state government.

Akume reportedly spoke to journalists in Abuja on Friday.

In his reaction, Governor Ortom said, “He (Akume) is part of the enemies of Benue State. He has now shown that he is one of the willing tools in the hands of the enemies of Benue State. This government enacted a law to prohibit open grazing, thereby drawing the anger of those who want to oppose this.

“Those people came out and threatened that there would be no peace in the state until the law was repealed. They followed their threat with attacks and they came out to claim responsibilities. One of them called Garus Ololo justified the January killings that it was a reprisal attack for the stealing of 1,000 of their cows by cattle rustlers.

“So, if a serving senator who is from Benue could go out and claim that Benue people are killing themselves, that person does not only know about the killings but he is part of those killing the people.”

Akume had blamed the establishment of the livestock guards by the Ortom administration as the reason for the incessant attacks on the farmers by the herdsmen.

Source: https://www.benuepress.com/2018/11/akume-enemy-of-benue-people-gov-ortom-says/

Benue tribal leaders, on the platform of Mzough U Tiv, Ochetoha K’ Idoma and Omi Ny’ Igede, have accused the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, of making a mockery of the victims of herdsmen killings in the state.

The tribal leaders were reacting to comments reportedly made by the minister during a television programme last Sunday, where he supposedly alleged that the killing of two Catholic priests and 17 worshippers at Mbalon in Gwer West Local Government Area of the state, last May, was carried out by Benue people.

The state government also described the comment as reckless, mindless and “a shameful dance on the graves of the victims of the carnage.”

In its reaction yesterday, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua, said: “It is clear that the comments are a deliberate strategy being sponsored by the All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government to change the true narrative of the Benue killings in general and those in Mbalom in particular.”

Meanwhile, speaking through their Chairman and President-General of Mzough U Tiv, Chief Edward Ujege, the tribal leaders, on their part said: “The statement is an indication that the Federal Government is uncaring and Amaechi himself ungodly.”

Source: https://www.benuepress.com/2018/11/benue-govt-tribal-leaders-fault-amaechis-comment-on-herdsmen-killings/