Nigerian Concord Newspaper
Benue Action Against Insecurity, BAAI, has expressed fears and also raised an alarm over plots by some politicians to sponsor militia to attack the premises of the Benue State House of Assembly.
This is not unconnected with the ongoing cold wars between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume and the Governor of the State, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, the Benue Independent Security network said.
Recall that there has been a political battle between Alia and Akume over who controls the structure of the All Progressive Congress, APC in Benue state.
Despite efforts by the Tiv Tradition Council as well as the National leadership of the APC to resolve the issue between the two political actors, the battle between the duo remains unresolved up to the level that some members of the National Assembly loyal to Senator Akume hid under the ongoing Fulani attacks in Benue state to call for a State of Emergency to enable them take Governor Alia out of office.
Sources within the Presidency however said that it won’t be possible for President Bola Tinubu to declare an Emergency Rule in Benue because it’s one of the states he relies on for his reelection bid in 2027. “He believes in the strength of Governor Alia to win the state so he won’t suspend him over Fulani attacks which are also happening in some other states in Nigeria” a source said.
Meanwhile, the Benue Action Against Insecurity, BAAI in a press statement signed and made available to journalists this morning by its Director of Press, Mr. Nathaniel Nongu said that the planned attacks on the premises of the State House of Assembly is to further claim that the House won’t be safe again unless the House of Representatives takes over legislative duties of the State lawmakers.
According to Nathaniel Nongu, the person leading the plot to use militia to attack the State House of Assembly is Jonathan Agbidyeh who is a member of the House representing Katsina Ala State Constituency.
Recall that Agbidyeh who had been arrested and prosecuted many times for being part of the crimes that have been happening in Sankera is one of the thirteen members of the House that were few months ago suspended by Speaker Dajoh Aondoana.
“The Sankera lawmaker is the one that is directly in charge of organizing the militia men while Senators Titus Zam and Emmanuel Udende, Mr. Pius Akutah, Matthias Byuan, Hon. Tersee Ugbor and some others are the ones funding the satanic plot to attack the House of Assembly ” the group further accused.
According to the Benue Independent Security network, over N250,000,000.00 which was raised for the project was personally handed over to Agbidyeh by a former State Publicly Secretary of the APC, Mr. Dan-Morgan Ihomun.
“They have nursed plans to hijack the Assembly by using the House of Representatives to take over legislative businesses and they know that when there are deadly attacks on the Assembly premises, their point that the place is not safe while being presided over by Speaker Dajoh Aondoana will be considered by the federal lawmakers ” Nongu stated.
Mr. Nathaniel Nongu however called on security agencies to beef a heavy security around the House of Assembly premises in order to prevent tbe attackers from carrying out their evil acts.
He pressed further that President Bola Tinubu should be aware that there is no way he can win Benue state in 2027 if Senator George Akume succeeds in his plans to set the state on fire.
Nongu said: “This state gave the president the highest number of votes in 2023 as a result of the good will of Father Hyacinth Alia but it will be hard for the president to win this state again if Senator Akume isn’t checked. Why does Akume want to ruin the party which gave him the position of the SGF which he is enjoying today”