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Alia, Ortom trade blame over Benue security gaps
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Benue State Governor, Father Hyacinth Alia and former governor, Samuel Ortom, have clashed over the state’s security situation, following the directives issued by President Bola Tinubu during his visit to the state after the massacre of over 200 people in Yelewata.
While Ortom accused the governor of failing to convene any meeting or act on the President’s security directives, the Alia government fired back, insisting that it had strengthened security operations and introduced a “Benue model” that was yielding results.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Monday, Ortom lamented that Tinubu’s directives to unite stakeholders to tackle insecurity in Benue had not been implemented.
“We have not had any meeting, so maybe we are still waiting for the governor’s calls to go there, because Benue State belongs to us, and there is no way we can allow this to continue to happen,” Ortom said.
“Where this incident took place, in Yelewata, where over 200 people were killed, that is my local government. My father’s mother comes from that Yelewata. So, it is as good as home. It is my place, and we are waiting for the governor; if he calls us, we’ll go there,” he added.
The former governor also blamed the violence on foreign elements, alleging that attackers from Chad, Niger, Senegal, Mali, and Libya collaborated with locals to invade Benue.
“People here collaborated with those foreigners to invade our land and take over. It is a deliberate attempt to wipe out a particular people. That is the truth,” he claimed.
Ortom further defended his policies during his tenure, insisting that he rejected Ruga and cattle colonies under former President Muhammadu Buhari, which he called “camouflage to deceive Nigerians.”
He said, “Each time they brought it, I stood against it. It’s unfortunate they didn’t listen because I gave statistics on what is obtainable in other countries. There is no way cattle rearing and farmers can cohabit. There will be a crisis.”
While praising Tinubu’s visit and quick response to the Yelewata killings, Ortom said the previous federal administration did not address the crisis.
“This government, when the Yelewata attack happened, the President ordered the security agencies to apprehend those people. This did not happen when the former government was there,” Ortom said.
Responding to Ortom and other critics, the Special Adviser on Security and Internal Affairs to Governor Alia, Joseph Har, said the current administration had significantly improved security in Benue by filling gaps in unprotected areas and improving synergy among security agencies.
“This administration, noticing the gap that exists in the huge number of unprotected spaces, took the bull by the horns to strengthen the Benue State quasi-security agents and at the same time harmonise the synergy of the conventional security agencies for more robust engagements,” Har said in a statement on Tuesday.
He said these measures, now tagged the “Benue model,” had enhanced community policing and traditional crime-prevention methods.
“This administration has returned the regards and is working to position the traditional rulers with the status they deserve.
“This administration, in partnership with Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRING), has organised a capacity building workshop for traditional rulers in Benue State on how to police their communities,” Har added.
The adviser listed the administration’s crime-prevention strategies, including Crime Prevention through Environmental Design, which involves strategic lighting and surveillance-friendly urban planning.
“This strategy, which makes the environment easy for surveillance, partially existed during the Gabriel Suswam administration but went extinct after his tenure until the emergence of Rev Fr Alia, where the state is lit with powerful solar lights and trimming of overgrown trees, causing people to sometimes forget to put on their headlights while driving at night.
“This had deterred and drastically reduced cases of GSM and vehicle snatching in the state,” Har stated.
He also outlined the Crime Prevention through Social Development approach, which addresses the root causes of criminal behaviour by tackling unemployment, school dropouts, and a lack of social amenities.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has drawn attention to a fraudulent scheme orchestrated by criminal elements and scammers targeting unsuspecting members of the public.
The fraudsters have been found using the names of top NDLEA officials, most notably the Secretary to the Agency, Barrister Shadrach Haruna, to issue fake private letters and messages offering cheap forfeited vehicles for sale on auction.
The public is hereby notified that these offers are a complete scam. The Agency wishes to categorically state that these fraudulent offers are a malicious gimmick designed solely to defraud targeted individuals of their hard-earned money.
No official of the Agency has the mandate to privately offer, allocate, or sell forfeited vehicles or any other seized assets to individuals. Vehicles and other assets forfeited as proceeds of drug crimes are strictly auctioned through public processes managed by appointed, government-registered auctioneers. Any legitimate auction exercise is widely publicized in national dailies and through the Agency’s official channels, in line with established legal and public procurement guidelines.
Members of the public are strongly urged to discountenance, ignore, and report any such private letters, text messages, or social media offers claiming to originate from Barrister Shadrach Haruna or any other NDLEA official.
The NDLEA remains committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in all its operations. Do not fall victim to these criminal elements. If you are approached with such fraudulent offers, please report immediately to the nearest NDLEA command or via our official communication channels.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Nafiu Gombe has picked Professor Chris Uba as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The party disowned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its flag bearer.
The group said the party had already completed its presidential nomination process in line with its constitution and the Electoral Act, adding that Uba emerged as the recognized candidate after all required procedures were concluded.
The faction also disowned the National Working Committee headed by former Senate President David Mark, saying it has no constitutional or legal authority to act on behalf of the party.
It maintained that the recognized leadership of the ADC remains in charge of the party’s affairs.
According to the statement released on Wednesday, the clarification became necessary to stop attempts to create confusion about the party’s position ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group said the ADC had not entered into any alliance, merger or coalition with any political party.
added that the party remains independent and intends to contest the elections with its own structure, manifesto and leadership.
The faction said it believes Uba has the experience, character and capacity to lead the country if elected in 2027.
It also warned Atiku against presenting himself as the ADC’s presidential candidate, saying such a claim is false and could mislead party members and the public.
The group added that the ADC would not allow its platform to be used by politicians pursuing personal ambitions or by coalition groups seeking to take over the party’s structure.
It said every constitutional and legal step would be taken to protect the party from what it described as unauthorised use of its name and platform.
The faction also dismissed reports suggesting that there were plans to stop the ADC from participating in the 2027 elections, expressing confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission and the country’s electoral process.
It said the party is preparing to present candidates for the presidency, governorships, National Assembly, state assemblies and local government elections across the country.
Three brothers have appeared before the Mbabane Magistrates Court in Swaziland on a murder charge following the brutal de@th of their mother’s boyfriend.
The accused, Mlondi Mbuli, 25, Sakhelwe Mbuli, 18, and Lindani Mdziniso, 23, all from the Hholoshini area in Eswatini’s Hhohho Region, are alleged to have fatally assaulted Njabulo Ngwenya on June 28, 2026.
According to police, the brothers att@cked Ngwenya with bricks, stones, sticks, open hands, and kicks to different parts of his body. Investigators allege the assa¥lt was motivated by the brothers’ belief that Ngwenya was having a relationship with their biological mother.
Court records state that the incident was reported after Sibongile Motsa, also from Hholoshini, informed police that she discovered her son, Njabulo Ngwenya, lying deed inside her sister’s house at about 1 a.m. on June 28, 2026.
The matter came before Principal Magistrate Sfiso Vilakati during the trio’s initial court appearance.
The three defendants have been remanded in custody until July 10, 2026, pending committal of the case to the High Court for further proceedings.
Disclaimer: NDLEA alerts public on fraudulent auction offers impersonating officials
2027 reggae dance: New ADC presidential candidate emerges
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