Herdsmen invade Benue prison farm, kills inmate

The Benue Prisons Service on Monday confirmed that herdsmen invaded its Jato-Aka Farm Centre and killed an inmate, one Tersoo Agidi.

ASP Stephen Nwanchor, Public Relations Officer, Benue Prisons Service, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi that the incident took place on Saturday at the farm centre.

Nwanchor said that the invasion was not a failed jail break attempt.

“This is a new farm centre established in January, 2017. The herdsmen invaded the place, destroyed property, shot and killed one Tersoo Agidi, an inmate.

“We have evacuated all the remaining inmates from the farm centre to Gboko, pending the outcome of the investigation.

“We are not taking anything for granted. My Controller of Prison is on top of the issue, and all relevant security operatives in the state have been notified,” Nwanchor said.

The PRO said the service was investigating the invasion to ascertain the remote cause, noting that no arrest had been made so far.

Nwanchor said the service had tightened security in and around all its facilities in the state, assuring that there was no cause for alarm. Herdsmen attack had been on increase in the last twelve months especially in the North central states.

-NAN

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How ex-Benue officials stole N107bn from State Treasury

Fifty-two ex-Benue State officials and 10 corporate organisations are being hunted by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC over alleged looting of the State’s Treasury to the tune of N107 billion.

Nine of the officials are said to have been arrested by the EFCC in connection with the looted fund.
Punch quoted the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bashkir Makama, on Thursday as saying that nine persons out of the 52 indicted by the Justice Elizabeth Kpojime Commission of Inquiry had been arrested.

He said the EFCC, in conjunction with the police arrested and detained them at the State Police Headquarters, Makurdi, before taking them to the Force Headquarters in Abuja for further investigation and subsequent prosecution.

“It is part of the process to recover the alleged N107 bn looted from the Benue State treasury by 52 individuals and 10 corporate organisations in the last administration as reported to the anti-graft agency by Governor Samuel Ortom,” he said.

Those arrested were former Governor Gabriel Suswam’s Special Adviser, Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Solomon Wombo; a former Permanent Secretary of the bureau, Mr. Asen Sambe, and the accountant, Mr. Isaiah Ipevnor.

Others were Janet Aluga, Moses Detso, Peter Ochoga, James Gera, Aorga Emmanuel and a former Legal Adviser of the Benue Investment and Property Company, Mr. John Tyokegh.

According to Punch, Wombo reported himself to the police at the Force Headquarters in Abuja and is currently being detained there.

Punch quoted an anonymous EFFC operative as saying that one of those indicted by the Kpojime Commission, Mr. Richard Gbande, escaped when the police went to arrest him but that his two cars were impounded.

He revealed that a large amount of money and ammunition were recovered from the houses of some of those arrested.

Benue State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Michael Gusa, who also confirmed the arrests, stated that the Ortom administration would do everything legally possible to recover the looted funds.

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Benue LG Poll Cancelled, “No money” - Ortom

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has told people of the state to forget local government election for now. The Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), had earlier presented a bill of N1.5 billion for the conduct of the September 3 election to the governor.

Ortom later reduced it to N800 million. But speaking in Makurdi yesterday, Ortom said “We don’t have money to conduct local government election.”

The governor explained that the 23 local government councils in the state were supposed to provide 60 percent of the money required, while the state would provide 40 percent.

While Ortom’s reason was based on the economic situation in the state, many citizens argue that he was scared of of protest votes against the All Progressives Congress (APC) government over non-payment of salaries for months.

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Many killed as suspected Fulani herdsmen raid Agatu community

Gunmen suspected to be Fulani Militias have continued to bombard Akwu village in Agatu LGA, in Benue state, according to a popular Benue journalist, Yemi Itodo.

According to Itodo who spoke with Daily Post, said the gunmen are now heading towards Ayila village. He said that despite the heavy gunshots, no military or any security presence could be felt. He disclosed that from a distance, an Helicopter could be sighted hovering on the air.

He added that over 200 persons have been reportedly killed and many houses razed by the marauders.

Details later…

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Benue State Governor frees 112 prison inmates

Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, Thursday, reportedly released 112 prison inmates serving various jail terms at the Medium prisons in Makurdi. The governor, during his visit to the prison on Thursday, announced his decision to pardon the inmates, adding that the clemency was part of the amnesty initiative of his administration to enhance security in the state, Leadership reports.

Ortom noted that the pardon was in accordance with section 212 of the 1999 Constitution. He revealed that out of the 112 prisoners, 38 convicts were offered amnesty, and 16 convicts were released from prison custody. Eight prisoners had death sentences commuted to life imprisonment, while 14 others had other sentences.

The governor also paid fines for 74 inmates in Otukpo, Gboko, Makurdi, Kaduna and Jos prisons, allegedly spending about N2m on the gesture.

Meanwhile, about two weeks ago, the amnesty programme of the Benue state government reportedly got a major boost after gangs from Kwande local government area purportedly surrendered assorted automatic weapons to the state.

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