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Benue Advocates for Justice - BAJ, Makurdi (2026)

01/03/2026

FAILURE OF SECURITY AND GOVERNANCE IN BENUE STATE: A CLEAR CALL FOR NEW LEADERSHIP AND AN END TO INSECURITY

The government of Hyacinth Alia has failed the people of Benue State, especially in the area of security, which is the primary and most important duty of any government. Communities continue to be attacked, farmers are unable to return to their farms, and lives are being lost on a daily basis, yet the government shows no seriousness or urgency in protecting its citizens. The continued killings, displacement of innocent people, and destruction of rural settlements clearly show incompetence in handling security and a complete lack of commitment to the safety of the people.

Instead of confronting criminal groups decisively and protecting vulnerable communities, the government has chosen actions and policies that appear to favor criminals over victims. The public denial of the scale of violence and the move to establish a rehabilitation camp for so-called repented criminals, while victims remain in pain and displacement, is unacceptable to the people of Benue State. This approach sends a wrong message, weakens public confidence, and makes it appear that the suffering of citizens is secondary to political calculations and external interests.

The consequence of this failure is visible across the state. Thousands of peasant farmers have been forced into IDP camps, many now depending on charity to survive. Entire communities have been emptied, livelihoods destroyed, and food production severely threatened. The number of displaced persons keeps increasing, while there is no clear, practical and effective government plan to return people safely to their homes or to secure farming areas. A government that cannot secure its land, protect its farmers and stop the daily bloodshed has failed in its most basic responsibility.

This government has also turned public power into a tool for political survival rather than public service. Instead of respecting the mandate freely given by the people, it now operates with intimidation, arrogance and hostility toward political opponents and critics. The people of Benue State are not owned by any individual, and the state is not a private estate. A government that places its second-term ambition above human lives, and allows insecurity to continue unchecked, stands condemned by the reality on ground. The people will no longer accept a government that governs over graves and IDP camps instead of protecting the living.

Conclusion

The people of Benue State are tired of excuses, propaganda and empty promises. What the state needs now is a complete change of leadership and direction. We therefore call on competent sons send daughters of Kunav to step forward and take responsibility to fix the deep and worsening insecurity in Benue State. Benue needs a leader who will place the lives of citizens above personal ambition, confront criminals without compromise, restore confidence to displaced communities, and return farmers safely to their land. The people deserve security, dignity and peace—and it is time for a new leadership that is ready to deliver it.

26/02/2026

A Rejoinder to “Baba Atsar Gundu [2026 Series]”

By Raphael Atuu, Abuja

The recent outburst titled “Baba Atsar Gundu [2026 Series]” is a troubling example of how political discourse in Benue State continues to deteriorate into emotional propaganda rather than reasoned engagement.

To describe fellow citizens as “the most useless set of people in the history of Benue State” simply because they hold dissenting political views is not only reckless but profoundly undemocratic.
Democracy is not sustained by blind loyalty; it thrives on debate, accountability, and plurality of opinion.
The writer’s insistence that critics of Hyacinth Alia should be publicly shamed reveals a disturbing intolerance for opposition.

Political disagreement is not betrayal. Opposition is not sabotage. Criticism is not hatred. In fact, constructive criticism is essential for good governance.
It is also misleading to suggest that electoral victory in 2023 automatically confers permanent moral superiority or guarantees success in 2027.

Elections are snapshots of public sentiment at a given time, not eternal endorsements. Political landscapes evolve. Performance, policy outcomes, and public trust ultimately determine future mandates—not emotional declarations or chest-thumping rhetoric.

Furthermore, reducing complex political dynamics to “bitter politics” oversimplifies legitimate concerns that citizens may have about governance, security, economic direction, and public administration. Not every disagreement stems from selfish ambition. Some arise from genuine convictions about what is best for the state.

The language used in the piece promotes division rather than unity.
It frames politics as warfare between enemies instead of engagement among stakeholders.

Such rhetoric deepens polarization in Benue at a time when collaboration and mature discourse are urgently needed.
If the writer truly believes in the Governor’s leadership capacity, the most persuasive defense would be a presentation of measurable achievements, policy successes, and clear developmental strides not insults directed at perceived opponents.

Political loyalty should never require intellectual surrender.
Benue deserves better than inflammatory commentary disguised as analysis. It deserves thoughtful debate, responsible speech, and leaders and supporters who understand that democracy is strengthened, not weakened, by dissent.

24/02/2026

Sextortion: Witness Narrates How Benue Governor's Aide Lured Her

The trial of a former Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor on Documentation, Research and Planning, Dr. Donatus Aondona Mkor, continue on Tuesday, February 24, 2026 before Justice M.O. Olajuwon of the Federal High Court sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, as the EFCC presented its second witness, Aluka Seembe, who told the court how the Governor’s aide lured her to get canal knowledge of her. The case has been adjourned to March 19, 2026 for continuation of trail.

Visit www.efcc.gov.ng for more details and other stories.

23/02/2026

Benue Speaker Rt. Hon. Berger Alfred Emberga reportedly assaults Mr Pius, a Channels Television Reporter in Makurdi.

Watch.

23/02/2026

PRESS STATEMENT

BEFORE PEACE, JUSTICE: A STATEMENT ON THE PROPOSED DRR CAMP IN BENUE

A call for accountability and the immediate withdrawal of the DRR Camp proposal in Benue State this 22nd day of February 2026– by:
Professor Dennis Ityavyar
Rt. Hon. Dominic Terkaa Ucha
ESV Godwin Ityoachimin
Hon. Joseph Waya
Professor Paul Angya
Professor Terhemba Shija

1.0 PREAMBLE
Once again, we are constrained to speak on the misgovernance, insensitivity and total disregard of the people of Benue State by Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
The reported request by the Benue State Government for the establishment of a DRR resettlement camp within our communities is deeply alarming. At a time when our people are still struggling to survive the aftermath of years of violence, displacement, and trauma, such a proposal is not only insensitive - it is profoundly irresponsible.

Across Guma, Logo, Agatu, kwande and other affected areas, thousands of Benue citizens have been killed, tens of thousands displaced, farmlands destroyed, and entire communities uprooted. Many of our people remain in IDP camps - broken, impoverished, and largely forgotten - without justice, compensation, or a roadmap for resettlement. It is in this painful context that a critical question must be asked:
What do the dehumanized, traumatized, and impoverished citizens of Benue - still wallowing in IDP camps - stand to gain from the rehabilitation and reintegration of their attackers on their own ancestral land, by the same government that has failed to protect them?

This is not merely a policy misjudgment; it is a profound moral contradiction. A government that has not yet secured the safe return of its victims cannot justify prioritizing the reintegration of those who contributed to their suffering. It sends a disturbing message that the cries of the wounded are secondary to the comfort of their violators.

2.0 THE MORAL OBLIGATION OF GOVERNANCE
Governance must be rooted in justice, fairness, and the defence of human dignity. Reconciliation cannot be built on the neglect of victims. Reintegration cannot precede accountability. True peace cannot emerge while the displaced remain abandoned and the dead unaccounted for.
Before any conversation about resettling former fighters in Benue State, the following must occur:

1- Displaced persons must be safely and sustainably returned home.
2- Security must be visibly restored across affected communities.
3- Transparent investigations into past killings must be concluded and made public.
4- Victims must be compensated and given structured support to rebuild their lives.
Anything contrary to this order is an inversion of justice.

3.0 AN APPEAL TO CONSCIENCE
In light of these concerns, we call on Governor Hyacinth Alia to:
1-Offer a public apology for initiating this request without broad consultation.
2- Immediately withdraw and reverse the application for a DRR camp in Benue State.
3- Prioritize the security, resettlement, and welfare of IDPs.
4-Convene traditional rulers, civil society, religious leaders, and victims’ representatives for an inclusive dialogue on sustainable peace.

Benue cannot be repurposed as a resettlement hub at the expense of its own wounded and displaced citizens. We are the Food Basket of the Nation - our land must remain a place of protection and prosperity for our people.

4.0 THE LEADERSHIP BENUE DESERVES
Benue people deserve leadership that stands firmly and unequivocally with victims. Leadership that is courageous, transparent, and anchored in justice. In that regard, we reaffirm our commitment to a future where:
1- Security relies on proactive intelligence
IDPs are resettled with dignity.
2- The Anti-Open Grazing Law is fully enforced.
3- Security resources are transparently managed.
4- Peace-building focuses on supporting victims rather than those responsible for their misery.
5- The soul of Benue is not up for negotiation.

History will judge leaders not by the titles they bore, but by the people they defended.
We remain resolute. We remain committed. We remain guided by the Constitution and by the enduring hope of our people.

SIGNED
Professor Dennis Ityavyar
Rt. Hon. Dominic Terkaa Ucha
ESV Godwin Ityoachimin
Hon. Joseph Waya
Prof Paul Angya
Prof Terhemba Shija

22/02/2026

Only President Tinubu or God Can Restore Unity in Benue APC — Says Sen. Adams Oshiomole

The growing division within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State has reached a troubling stage. It is my considered view that only divine intervention or decisive leadership from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can restore lasting unity within the party.

Governor Hyacinth Alia’s emergence under the APC was not without struggle. It is widely acknowledged that Senator George Akume fought numerous legal battles to secure Alia’s candidacy on the party’s platform. That history cannot be ignored, and it makes the present tension even more concerning.

Since the assumption of office, concerns have arisen regarding governance structure and party inclusion. It is public knowledge that shortly after taking office, the Governor appointed mostly individuals closely associated with him prior to his entry into partisan politics, particularly those from his former religious circle. In some cases, individuals within his immediate circle are said to hold multiple appointments.

More significantly, many long-standing APC members in Benue feel sidelined. Their only “offence” appears to be that they were members of the APC before Governor Alia joined the party and that they have refused to align with what is perceived as a parallel structure, where loyalty to one camp determines access to participation in government. Naturally, such a situation breeds resentment and deepens division.

This raises a fundamental question:

How can unity be preached without addressing the root causes of discontent?

To this day, Governor Alia has not clearly stated the offences of Senator George Akume. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) does not deserve public humiliation from a government whose emergence he strongly supported. Politics requires gratitude, maturity, and mutual respect.

On one occasion when the Governor visited me, I asked him directly what he had done to Senator Akume that he is not satisfied, what are his actual demands. The Governor did not tell me any reasonable thing. What he is doing now for people to help him fight is not close to what he should be doing to Akume. Leadership demands humility. One does not treat someone who contributed significantly to one’s political elevation with disregard. Since that meeting, I have not had the opportunity to engage him again.

Leadership is not sustained by voices that say, “You are the Governor; you can do anything.” There is life after governorship. Political goodwill, relationships, and respect remain essential beyond any tenure.

True reconciliation cannot be built on silence or selective memory. Sustainable peace within a political party requires fairness, inclusion, and mutual respect among stakeholders. It requires acknowledging grievances, not dismissing them.

Unity cannot be achieved by asking one side to simply “move on.” It must be negotiated. It must involve structural adjustments, balanced appointments, and genuine recognition of party loyalists who labored to build the APC before electoral victory was achieved.

Benue APC stands at a crossroads. Continued division weakens the party’s electoral strength and governance capacity. Forced peace without equity will only deepen fractures beneath the surface.

If unity must return, it should be built on justice, dialogue, and compromise, not convenience. The responsibility now rests on party leaders at both the state and national levels to intervene wisely and ensure that inclusion, not exclusion, defines the future of the APC in Benue State.

If Gov Hyacinth Alia is giving the soul of APC in Benue, none of the current leaders will be given a ticket in 2027. He fought with all. You don't do that, Alia joined this party only in 2022 for governorship. If stakeholders are pushed aside, one faction alone cannot deliver victory for the APC. A united structure, not a divided house, wins elections.

Daily Trust

13/02/2026

INSECURITY: KWANDE LG CHAIRMAN ACCUSES BENUE STATE GOVT. OF ABANDONMENT

By Benue Advocates for Justice

A condolence visit by Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia to Kwande Local Government Area took a controversial turn on Tuesday after the governor failed to visit Abande, the community where more than 18 people were recently killed in an attack carried out by suspected armed Fulani bandits.

The governor had travelled to Kwande to sympathize with victims and families affected by the massacre. However, residents of Abande, who had gathered in anticipation of receiving the governor, were left disappointed when he concluded his visit in Anwase without setting foot in the affected community.

The decision sparked concern among locals and observers, many of whom questioned the depth of the government’s solidarity with those directly impacted by the violence.

Tensions escalated further during the condolence gathering in Anwase when a public confrontation broke out between the Chairman of Kwande Local Government Area, Hon. Vitalis Neji, and the Governor’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Hon. Fidelis Unongo.
The incident occurred after the Master of Ceremony invited the President of the Turan Development Association to speak following the chairman’s remarks. Hon. Neji reportedly returned to the podium to halt the process, citing time constraints and attempting to substitute another speaker. His move was resisted by Hon. Unongo, who advanced to the stage and forcefully took the microphone, insisting that the Turan Development Association president be allowed to address the gathering.

The altercation, which unfolded in the presence of mourners and dignitaries, drew attention away from the purpose of the visit and highlighted serious divisions within the state leadership at a time when unity was widely seen as critical.

Amid the tense atmosphere, Chairman Neji earlier in his address, openly accused the governor’s appointees of failing to support him in addressing the worsening security situation in Kwande. Speaking in the governor’s presence, he stated that he had been left alone to manage the crisis.

Given that both the governor and the local government chairman are elected officials with mandates and access to security votes for addressing security challenges, the chairman’s remarks were widely interpreted as a direct criticism of the state government’s handling of the situation.

Observers say the developments in Anwase reflect broader concerns about coordination and leadership amid escalating insecurity in parts of Benue State.

While political disagreements played out publicly, residents of Abande continue to mourn their losses and grapple with fears of further attacks.

What was intended as a moment of consolation has instead intensified scrutiny of the state’s response to insecurity, leaving many in Kwande questioning whether those in authority are sufficiently united and prepared to confront the ongoing crisis.

10/02/2026

PRESS STATEMENT

BENUE ADVOCATES FOR JUSTICE DEMAND URGENT POLICE AND DSS PROBE INTO ALLEGATIONS THAT BENUE GOVERNMENT IS ARMING THUGS AHEAD OF 2027 ELECTIONS

10th February, 2026

Benue Advocates for Justice (BAJ), raises alarm over extremely troubling allegations that agents of the Benue State Government under Governor Hyacinth Alia are recruiting, arming, and deploying violent youths to intimidate political opponents in the build-up to the 2027 governorship election.

The allegations, which have generated widespread fear in Konshisha Local Government Area and beyond, suggest that following remarks allegedly made by the Governor at a public gathering, meetings were subsequently convened in which youths were reportedly mobilised, promised weapons, and encouraged to violently suppress dissenting political voices. Claims have further been made that similar operations are being replicated in other parts of the state.

If these allegations are even remotely true, they represent a grave threat to public safety, democratic participation, and the integrity of future elections in Benue State. The arming of civilians for political purposes is a criminal enterprise that undermines the rule of law and risks plunging already-traumatised communities into renewed cycles of violence.

Benue has endured years of insecurity and bloodshed. Our people cannot be forced once again into fear simply because elections are approaching. Political leadership carries with it a solemn responsibility to protect lives, not to weaponise desperation and vulnerability.

Accordingly, Benue Advocates for Justice formally calls on:

The Nigeria Police Force to immediately investigate these allegations, including the alleged recruitment meetings, named locations, and any circulation of fi****ms or am******on.

The Department of State Services (DSS) to deploy its intelligence and counter-subversion capabilities to determine whether state resources or political networks are being used to sponsor violence or destabilise communities.

Other relevant security and electoral authorities, including INEC’s Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, to treat these reports as early-warning signals requiring urgent preventive action.

Our intervention is not a declaration of guilt. It is a principled demand for transparency, accountability, and the protection of Benue citizens from political violence. Failure to interrogate allegations of this magnitude would amount to dangerous indifference and could embolden actors intent on turning the 2027 election into a battlefield rather than a democratic contest.

Benue people have a constitutional right to support candidates of their choice without intimidation, threats, or coercion. No government—state or federal—should be associated with the arming of civilians for political ends.

Democracy cannot survive where fear is official policy.

Signed:
Gabriel Shima,
Spokesman,
Benue Advocates for Justice (BAJ)

07/02/2026

REJOINDER TO THE MISLEADING AND INTEMPERATE REACTION BY
SIR TERSOO KULA, CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNOR OF BENUE STATE

By Benue Advocates for Justice.
February 7, 2026

We have read with deep concern the statement issued by Sir Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Benue State, in reaction to the constitutionally grounded and patriotically motivated press statement by the Joint KUNAV Governorship Aspirants titled “Benue at Fifty: Reflection, Responsibility, and the Future We Must Reclaim.”

Regrettably, the CPS’s response is a textbook example of evasion, distortion, and official intolerance of civic responsibility. Rather than engage the substance of the issues raised—security collapse, economic stagnation, humanitarian neglect, and constitutional breaches—the statement resorts to name-calling, self-congratulation, and intimidation by rhetoric.

1. GOVERNANCE IS NOT NOISE — BUT CRITICISM IS NOT TREASON
To label a well-reasoned, data-backed, constitutionally referenced intervention as “malicious,” “vexatious,” or a “vendetta” is both lazy and dangerous.

In a constitutional democracy, criticism of government is not an act of hostility; it is a civic duty.
The Joint KUNAV Aspirants did not insult personalities.
They interrogated outcomes.
They cited facts.
They invoked the Constitution.
If the Alia administration now considers constitutional accountability to be “noise,” then that admission alone is deeply troubling.

2. SELECTIVE ACHIEVEMENTS DO NOT CANCEL SYSTEMIC FAILURE
The CPS lists roads, flyovers, breweries, and institutions as proof that Benue is “not adrift.” But governance is not a photo album of projects—it is measured by lived reality.
Let the government answer plainly:
Are salaries and pension arrears paid regularly?
Are IDPs resettled with dignity?
Has insecurity reduced or expanded?
Is there a public, coherent development plan?
Are public accounts transparently accessible?
Has Benue’s economic competitiveness improved?

Citing kilometers of roads does not erase:
Persistent mass killings
Displacement of thousands
Weak institutions
Opaque financial transactions
Absence of an economic blueprint
Infrastructure without security, transparency, and institutional strength is cosmetic governance.

3. WEAPONIZING INSECURITY? OR REFUSING TO DENY THE DEAD?
It is morally offensive for the CPS to accuse concerned citizens of “weaponizing insecurity” simply because they refuse to normalize mass death.
The Kwande attack of 3 February 2026 is not propaganda.
The graves and ruins of structures are real.
The widows are real.
The displaced families are real.
Calling attention to constitutional failure in security leadership is not “mindless”—it is mandatory under Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.
What is truly reprehensible is governmental hypersensitivity that treats every alarm bell as sabotage.

4. INTIMIDATION DISGUISED AS DEFENSE
The tone of the CPS’s statement—threatening, dismissive, and contemptuous of dissent—confirms precisely what the Joint KUNAV Aspirants warned against:
the shrinking of democratic space and the return of official intolerance.
When a government spokesperson:
Delegitimizes opposition voices
Questions motives instead of facts
Encourages public hostility toward critics
…it signals fear, not strength.
Strong governments persuade.
Weak governments intimidate.

5. BENUE DOES NOT BELONG TO ANY INCUMBENT
The suggestion that citizens must “wait their turn” before speaking is anti-democratic nonsense.
No one needs permission from power to speak truth.
Benue State belongs to its people, not to any administration, spokesman, or political clique.
The Joint KUNAV Aspirants spoke not as enemies of the state, but as stakeholders alarmed by its trajectory—men with records, credentials, and constitutional rights equal to any officeholder.

6. HISTORY WILL JUDGE — BUT THE PRESENT IS BLEEDING
The CPS says “history will judge intentions.”
But the present is judging outcomes—and the verdict from communities under siege, unpaid workers arrears, displaced families, and struggling institutions is unmistakable.
Benue at fifty demands:
Humility, not hubris
Accountability, not applause
Engagement, not insults
Leadership, not propaganda

CONCLUSION
The reaction by Sir Tersoo Kula does not discredit the Joint KUNAV Governorship Aspirants.
It reinforces their message.
Benue is at a crossroads.
Suppressing honest conversation will not save it.
Only truthful leadership, constitutional fidelity, and people-centered governance will.

The Joint Kunav governorship aspirants remain resolute, law-abiding, committed to speaking for the voiceless and defending the future of Benue State—without fear and without apology.

06/02/2026

"2027 Governorship must be retained in Jechira, only substitution is mandatory..."
Coalition of Kunav 2027 guber aspirants

Benue Advocates for Justice - BAJ

01/03/2026

26/02/2026

24/02/2026

23/02/2026

23/02/2026

22/02/2026

13/02/2026

10/02/2026

07/02/2026

06/02/2026

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