INEC confirmed this in a statement issued by Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, in Abuja.

Olumekun said that a report from INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, for Benue, Prof. Sam Egwu, stated that the incident occurred at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

READ ALSO: NIMC: We have put adequate measures in place for data protection

He said that the office was set on fire by youths in the area protesting against the activities of bandits in the area.

“Although no casualties were recorded, the building has been extensively damaged.

“Office furniture and other movable and immovable materials, including 10 electric generators, 300 ballot boxes and 270 voting cubicles, were destroyed in the attack,” Olumekun said

He said that the attention of security agencies had been drawn to the incident and they had already deployed their personnel to the area.

Source: NAN

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The Presidency attacked Ortom in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Tuesday.

It said rather than find solution to the problem of inherited unpaid salaries and pension arrears, Ortom had been blaming President Muhammadu Buhari for his failure.

The Presidency said having benefitted from the bailout fund and other facilities made available to state governments by the Buhari administration, Ortom had no justification for blaming Buhari.

The Presidency said Nigeria had had enough of a politician like Ortom who blamed others as a diversion for their inability to improve citizens’ lives.

The statement reads in full:

“There are two types of politicians in Nigeria today. The first are politicians who are leaders that offer solutions to the challenges facing the voters and the country. They bring forward policies, and implement them, to improve the lives of others.

“The second, politicians who offer excuses for the challenges voters face. They avoid ideas and instead blame others for problems they have either not solved or have themselves created.

“President Muhammadu Buhari is a leader. He inherited a treasury that had been emptied by successive previous administrations – and he sought and succeeded in repatriating billions of dollars of stolen funds from overseas. His administration discovered more than 500,000 bank accounts operated by Ministries, Agencies and Departments. In these accounts, the money belonging to the government was kept. Same government agencies went to the banks to borrow money kept by sister agencies at exorbitant interest rates. What is more, some of the signatories had left the service or were “unknown” and so no one had access to the funds. MDAs are now compelled to use the Treasury Single Account, TSA, domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria. And the President brought forward the first and only plan to address farmer-herder clashes in 100 years, supporting states to rediscover grazing reserves and create ranching lands that have successfully reduced tensions while increasing harmony and saving lives.

Governor Samuel Ortom, office holder, is that other politician. He inherited unpaid salaries and pension arrears – and rather than find a way to raise the funds to pay them, he has blamed the President.

This is a President who has not failed to pay the salary of those working for the federal government and declared the failure of states to do so “a national disaster.”

“To avert this, he had, at various times lent money to the states in excess of N1.682 trillion, and Benue, Mr Ortom’s state did not miss out on all occasions: Salary Bailout, Excess Crude Loan and Budget Support loan, each repayable in 20 years. Lagos for instance didn’t collect any of the loans. A few other states declined to take one or two. Mr Ortom, an office holder who collected on all occasions, currently holds the country’s longest record of unpaid salaries and pensions, has no reason, absolutely no reason, to blame President Buhari for the mess in which he put his state and its workers.

“Having first come claiming that his predecessors created the arrears, it was his business to prove that he was better by paying. Instead of doing that, he joined them! And while he runs up even further salary and pension debts on top of those he was bequeathed, instead of respecting the voters who elected him to office, he publicly attacks them in unprintable words and has raised his own thuggish militia to harass and violate them.

“The Governor now claims the voters wish to be “rescued by the PDP” and “regret voting for Buhari.” The voters, of course, will not be asked to vote for the President again because – as a leader – President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC respect term limits and the constitution, and will stand down next year at the end of his second democratically elected mandate. It seems unlikely, however, that any voter would seriously consider it possible to be “rescued” by a party that would today, allow a politician such as Governor Ortom in its ranks.

“What is certain, however, is that Nigeria has had enough of failed politicians who blame others as a diversion for their inability to improve citizens’ lives.”

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Three of her kidnappers were shot dead by the police.

Governor Samuel Ortom commended the police for rescuing Mrs Unenge, and killing the three suspected kidnappers in the process.

Ortom, who was at the police headquarters in Makurdi on Monday to see the corpses of the suspected kidnappers, said that the feat was commendable.

“I commend the Commissioner of Police in Benue, Audu Madaki, who has been promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) for the successful operation.

“I also commend the Commander of Operation Zenda and his crack team for gunning down the three suspected kidnappers. I am very happy with the success you have recorded,” he said.

The governor also appreciated those who volunteered information that led to the success of the rescue operation.

He ordered the immediate demolition of the building used by the suspected criminals and that the owner of the said building should be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the laws of the state.

The commissioner’s wife and her driver were kidnapped four days ago in Makurdi.

Source: NAN

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Governor Wike maintained that nothing depicted failure of governance than the inability of any government saddled with responsibility of protecting life and  property to do so.

He stated this during the commissioning of some of the road projects constructed by Governor Ortom in Makurdi  and Guma Local Government Areas of Benue State on Tuesday.

Governor Wike said he was not surprised that Governor Ortom was fulfilling his pledge to provide dividends of democracy like the 41 kilometre road linking Makurdi and Guma local government areas, to the people of Benue State despite efforts by terrorists plot to destabilise the state.

“We must fight against injustice in the country. Ortom is not one of those governors who will shy away from standing for the truth. Ortom stood firm when his people were being killed. The major cardinal of governance is protection of life and property. If you cannot protect life of your people and property, governance is zero.”

Governor Wike stated that because Ortom stood firm to speak against abandonment of his people by the federal government, he was bullied and intimidated by his former party, the All Progressives Congress.

The Rivers State governor used the occasion to dismiss insinuation that Ortom was on the verge of defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC.

“Today, in this country there is total insecurity and then people are telling you Ortom is moving. To where he nearly died? Who digs his grave? Does any man dig his grave? God brought him out of the wilderness. When he was longing, seeking for shelter and water to drink and God provided him a platform. And after he had suffered and brought his people back from the wilderness, then some people are coming to say he is coming back. Coming back to where?”

Governor Wike described Ortom as a man of  character who had passed through difficulties in his political career in a bid to defend and protect his people, which is the essence of governance.

“I knew what happened, and you stood firm to show that this is the type of leadership we need in this country and that is why your people can come back today to start rebuilding where the terrorists came to destroy. My coming here to support you is not only because we are friends, but because I cannot stand injustice. Whether anybody likes it or not, I will continue in my life to fight injustice because nobody is a third class citizen of this county. All of us have equal rights in this country, so let nobody be deceived that there are people who are born to be first class and there are people who were born to be third class.”

On his part, Governor Ortom explained that at a very critical moment in Benue history, Governor Wike demonstrated friendship by speaking out against the neglect of the state and donated N200 million to support internally displaced persons.

“When we were attacked by terrorist herdsmen and militia groups coming to invade our land and to take over in the name of cattle rearing, and we saw it and stood up against it, Governor Wike was with us. He spoke out when others shied away from speaking the truth and speaking against the injustice that was being meted out against us. Governor Wike stood against the injustice.

“When eventually we have IDPS and were crying everyday, looking for food to give them, looking for shelter, looking for medication and other needs, Governor Wike stood up. He could have sent someone, but he came here, in Benue State and donated the sum of N200 million. For him to spare N200 million to support IDPS in Benue State in distress is a thing we will never forget.”

The governor said all those who shared in the same aspiration of fighting against injustice; fighting for equity, transparency and fairness must come together to save the country.

“Security is a challenge, the economy is a problem to everyone of us and  we are all affected. Politically, nothing is defined in such a way that we can sleep with our two eyes closed and trust each other. It is unfortunate that we have gotten ourselves to where we are. But, God will not come from heaven and turn around things. It is we, Nigerians, that must find a way of solving the problems we have and that is why some of us will continue to say that there is need for a kind of dialogue.

“There is a need for Nigerians to sit together and look at where we are and see what can be done to correct the imbalance that we have today in our economy, in our security and political system. Something is wrong. There is no doubt about that and we must find a way of correcting that.”

Governor Ortom lauded Wike for coming to his rescue when  he was in distress in the APC. He explained that the Rivers State governor stood by him and persuaded the stakeholders in Benue PDP to accommodate him.

“When I was in distress in my former political party, I went to him he stood with me and rose up and spoke to the stakeholders to say look this young man must not be abandoned because he stood for his people. Wike came here himself with leaders of PDP, discussed with stakeholders of the party in Benue State and brought me into the PDP and today I am a governor.”

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The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this declaration on Monday against the backdrop of the killing of 43 farmers in Borno State by terrorists.

The minister who spoke with journalists in Makurdi, Benue State, during his visit to Governor Samuel Ortom, said efforts by the government to get adequate equipment to fight terrorism had not yielded the desired result.

His words: “When we talk about terrorism, people don’t seem to appreciate that terrorism is not a local issue, it is a global issue and there is no part of the world that doesn’t experience its own pocket of terrorism.

“But you must also note that we are dealing with terrorists who are financed globally and we also need more support from global partners.

“For instance, Nigeria has made an attempt to acquire a better and more effective platform to deal with terrorists, but for one reason or the other we have been denied this platform, these weapons and without adequate weapons or platform, we remain at the mercy of terrorists.

“You see fighting terrorists is not a joke because what actually happened in Borno State is unfortunate, but you must also look at the strategy of the terrorists.

“Terrorists use media and publicity as oxygen.

“So when they go on this kind of mindless killing of people, it is not that the government is not doing enough, terrorism whether in Afghanistan or anywhere in the world has the same concept: a group of people who are extremist in their thoughts who don’t think that you and me should be alive.”

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The command’s spokesperson, DSP Catherine Anene, in Makurdi, said that Nicodemus died on the spot, while the girlfriend, also identified as Shiminenge, died later at the Benue State Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.

Anene explained that Nicodemus committed the act at his girlfriend’s residence on Inkipi Street, High-Level area of Makurdi on Saturday evening.

She said that an argument had ensued between them, adding, however, that the cause of the argument was unknown.

She said that Nicodemus had locked himself and the lady in her room before setting the room ablaze.

“According to an eyewitness, there was an argument between them which we are yet to find out.

“We understand that Nicodemus, while coming to Shiminenge’s house, came along with fuel.

“He used the fuel to set himself and the lady ablaze after locking the house from inside,” the police spokesperson said.

A neighbour of Shiminenge said that Nicodemus had abandoned his wife and kids for the lady and that trouble ensued when the lady told him of her plan to marry someone else.

“Nicodemus was not happy with the lady over her decision to leave him for another man.

“He had earlier abandoned his wife and kids for Shiminenge. So, he couldn’t bear the disappointment,” the neighbour, who preferred anonymity, said

Source: NAN

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This is contained in a press statement on Friday signed by the Command Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Sewuese Anene, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Makurdi.

The police stated that the teacher, Maikyo, was arrested on October 8,  and would soon be charged to court.

It further stated that another man, Nelson Omanka, from Obi local government, who was also arrested on  October 9,  for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl, had been charged to court.

The police also added that two people had been apprehended by detectives on October 7, in connection with the murder of one Fidelis, a student of the University of Science and Technology Calabar, Cross-River State.

The suspects were named as Emmanuel Williams and James Ulem.

“Two white and blue coloured axes, one machete, a bottle of concoction, five handsets and wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered from them.”

Five robbery suspects – Lubem Tseer, Tertsea Ephraim, Peter Yaigh, Joseph Gyan and Aondaana Tarhembe – were apprehended in their hideout in Gboko with a single barrel gun, one cartridge and assorted charms, it said.

According to the command, two Toyota Corolla vehicles and assorted phones were recovered from five robbery and kidnapping suspects operating along Ugbema/Adikpo Road.

It gave their names as Nanen Targba, Gabriel Mbakighir, Aondofa Doaior, Aondohemba Torkwembe and Atsor Abeda.

“Again, Suleiman Abdullahi was arrested in possession of one locally made revolver pistol with an expanded 9mm ammunition, four rounds of live AK 47 ammunition and 126 wraps of dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.”

It stressed that the Command was determined to mitigate criminality in the state and urged the public to provide useful information to the police to help in tracking the criminals.

“Benue State Police Command has continued to intensify efforts towards the fight against crime as evident in the recent special deployments and arrest of suspects in connection with heinous crimes.

“Within the last three weeks, Police Officers deployed to strategic points have been able to foil kidnap/ robbery attempts among among other crimes,” the statement added.

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The appeal was made on Thursday by the president of the association, Dr. Samson Ayokunle.

The association which made the appeal against the background of information that the warring faction had remained agitated and reluctant to give peace a chance, said no society could develop without peace, tolerance and harmony.

The association said it was working underground with the federal government to ensure that peace was restored.

The statement signed by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, media assistant to CAN president, reads:

TIV/JUKUM CRISIS: CAN CALLS FOR PEACEFUL RESOLUTION

The President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), His Eminence, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle, has appealed to the leadership of both Jukun and Tiv in Taraba and Benue states to sheathe their swords and embrace peace as no society can develop without peace, tolerance and harmony.

According to reports, the hostilities between the two tribes have led to the death of hundreds of people and from all indications, the two warring parties are still agitated and reluctant to give peace a chance.

Worried by this sad and unfortunate development, Ayokunle, in a Press Statement issued in Abuja and signed by his Media Assistant, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, urged the two warring factions to end the crisis.

From the information available to us, majority of Tiv and Jukun are Christians and ordinarily, one would have expected them to come together in unison and resolve their differences, no matter how bitter they are, as commanded us by Jesus Christ who is the Prince of Peace. Apart from this we are aware that the two tribes are inter-twined because they exist side by side and have for long time inter-married.

We urge the leaders of Tiv and Jukun to, as a matter of urgency, convene peace meetings among all relevant stakeholders with a view to finding lasting solution to the feud.

This evil wind has, sadly, claimed several innocent lives. We take note that it is this mutual hostility between the two ethnic groups that led to the unfortunate gruesome murder of a Catholic Priest, Rev Fr David Tanko, recently while making a reconciliation effort.

Reports have it that travelling on Wukari and Katsina-Ala highways has become dangerous and suicidal as travellers who belong to either of the tribes are arrested, killed or set ablaze, just exactly the way the Catholic priest was killed.

As a body, CAN is making serious efforts behind the scene with both the Federal Government and the two state governments on how to reconcile the two factions at a peace parley to be hosted as soon as practicable.

We seize this opportunity to appeal to the two tiers of government to accelerate the process of an enduring peace process in which CAN is ready to be involved. We need to remember that violence and bloodletting will not benefit any of the warring parties; rather, it is the people, states, entire country and humanity that are at loss.

May peace reign not only between the Tivs and Jukuns but in our nation Nigeria in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

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Media aide to the Taraba State governor, Mr Bala Abu, said this in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) following allegations by Tiv Youth Council, TYC, that the governor and Gen. Theophilus Danjuma were fuelling the crisis.

TYC had on Sunday at a news conference accused Governor Ishaku and TY Danjuma of inciting Jukun militia to attack Tiv people in the state.

The Tiv/Jukun crisis which erupted from Kente, a border town of Benue and Taraba had led to the loss of many lives including women and children in the last three months.

TYC president, Mr Mike Msuaan, had during the conference called on security agencies to investigate the governor and the former Chief of Army Staff for their alleged roles in the crisis.

According to him, the Tiv nation could not continue to be cannon fodder for the unity of the country.

Msuaan added: “These worrisome developments have further exacerbated the humanitarian challenge in the nation as we now have to grapple with an even burgeoning number of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

“The recent rape, maiming and killing of helpless Tiv students and workers of the Federal University, Wukari, is indeed one too many, deserving thorough investigation by the security agencies and enduring solutions to entrench peace.

“It is quite surprising that despite several attempts to extend the olive branch and make the warring parties embrace peace, the efforts have all fallen through midway with no tangible results,” Msuaan said.

But Abu while refuting the allegation exonerated the governor and Gen. Danjuma (rtd) from the crisis.

He explained that Ishaku and Ortom had adopted various methods including meeting with stakeholders from both tribes to ensure peace returned in the area.

“It is a grave allegation to say that someone in the status of Gov. Darius Ishaku and Gen. TY Danjuma will be sponsoring crisis.

“The truth is that there is history to the crisis between the two ethnic groups (Jukun and Tiv).

“I have visited the crisis area with the governor on five different occasions within two years that I have worked with him and our purpose of going there was to interface with the people living in that area.

“The governor and his Benue counterpart met with stakeholders in that area and all these meetings were targeted at bringing about peaceful coexistence among the people living there.

“So, what will the governor or Gen. Danjuma benefit from the killing of Tiv people and besides the killing is not one sided.

“The two sides are killing each other, so why are Tiv youths accusing the governor for the crisis?

“Apart from the meeting by the two governors, the deputy governors have also met about six times; all these meetings were about finding peace; so, why the allegation that someone is arming the other people.

“I think the people making this allegation are the people who do not want the crisis to end otherwise both governors are doing so much to bring peace to the area.

“This allegation is false and it cannot stand. It is intended to smear the governor and Gen. Danjuma.

“There is no such thing involving these personalities and they are concerned about what is happening at the border between the two states.

“They have nothing to gain arming one side to fight the other; it is unfair for them to undermine all the peace efforts and blame the government,” he said.

The governor’s media aide noted that the recent crisis was caused by fight between two men from Jukun and Tiv who were quarrelling over a female friend.

He wondered why such issue should warrant killing of innocent people in spite of all peace agreement reached by both parties.

“The people most desire peace just like the governors have done; this is the only way to achieve peace.

“On behalf of the governor, the warring parties should sheath their swords.

“This was part of the governor’s Sallah message on Sunday. He appealed to the people in the name of God to sheath their swords and embrace peace; these were the governor’s message, I am only reechoing it.”

Source: NAN

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Odeh spoke Monday in Abuja during a courtesy visit of leaders of Oju/Obi Local Government Areas of Benue State to the Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, at Presidential Villa.

The leaders commended the administration’s commitment to improving security and economic development, degrading Boko Haram and confronting corruption headlong.

‘‘We align with President Buhari in all efforts to make Nigeria great again, especially in his Next Level mantra that will take us and place us on the path of greatness,’’ Prof. Odeh said.

Congratulating the President on his resounding victory in the February 23 presidential election, the community leader called on the President to keep his promise of running an inclusive government in the new administration.

‘‘We have confidence and great convictions in our hearts that it is only this administration that can address the imbalances and marginalisation in the areas of federal appointments, other federal presence and absence of good road networks in the thickly populated Oju/Obi Local Government Areas of Benue State,’’ he said.

Also speaking, Chairman Oju local government council, Hon. Austine Okwoche, lauded the Buhari administration’s Social Investment Programme, SIP, noting that Igede people had been proud beneficiaries of the N-Power programme and the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).

Okwoche said public primary schools in Oju, cooks and indigenes of the communities had benefitted from the school feeding programme, while graduates from the communities had been employed in the N- Power programme.

He also thanked the Federal Government for the ongoing dualisation of Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi Expressway.

Responding, Adesina promised to pass their demands to the President and asked them to convey the President’s appreciation to the people of Benue State for their unflinching support.

‘‘A lot of people thought Benue was a no-go-area for the President during the presidential election but the President had a good outing in the state. I know the President will remember Benue when it comes to reward,’’ Adesina said.

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