This newspaper can authoritatively report plots by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume to use foreign fighters from Cameroun, Chad and Niger to distabilize the peace of Benue State during next year’s general elections.
This is coming just as Senator George Akume has sought for the assistance of the FCT Minister, Nyemson Wike to help him distabilize the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia with lies and propaganda on National TV.
According to independent investigation by this newspaper and its media partners, a former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Kawu Baraje is the middle man between the SGF and leaders of the foreign fighters who will arrive Benue State in the next two weeks if the plans remain unchecked.
Recall that Baraje openly made a media statement in 2018 about how he personally brought foreign fighters to help late Muhammadu Buhari win the 2015 presidential election which ended the reign of the Jonathan-led administration.
It was gathered that the latest devilish move by Senator George Akume is a result of the leadership crisis between him and Governor Hyacinth Alia.
According to findings, Akume declared himself an enemy to Governor Alia shortly after the governor was sworn-in in 2023. The governor had rejected a proposal by the SGF that he be paid a sum of N2bn monthly from the government Treasury.
Efforts by Governor Hyacinth Alia to reconcile with his estranged godfather proved abortive as Senator George Akume has sworn never to have anything doing with the governor .
This led to a strategic partnership between George Akume and members of the Benue State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party.
However, the strategic partnership failed as a result of a clear instruction from President Bola Tinubu that all the candidates of the All Progressive Congress in Benue state including Governor Hyacinth Alia must win their elections in 2027.
According to sources, Akume, having resolved to ensure that Governor Alia loses the 2027 election, has a secret meeting with Baraje in the company of Barrister Piis Akutah, Mr. Mathias Byuan, Chief Michael Msuaan and a former chairman of the APC in Benue state Austin Agada where a plot to bring over twenty five thousand foreign fighters from Cameroun and other neighboring country into Benue State was made.
“I can confirm that this is the plan for now and this is just to cause tension and a high level of insecurity in Benue state ahead of the election. The plan is that these fighters will be positioned in all the local government areas of the State to start attacking members and leaders of the All Progressive Congress that are loyal to Governor Alia.
“These fighters have been instructed by Senator George Akume to kidnap innocent Benue students and people as part of their plans to make the state ungovernable for the governor.
“What they want to achieve with this is to use insecurity to campaign against the governor ahead of the elections. Also, vehicles will be branded in the name of the Governor to kidnap people in some local government areas of the State so they can pin the crimes on the governor’s head..
“As a matter of fact, Senator George Akume is doing this so that the candidate he planted in Labor Party, Mathias Byuan can win the governorship election in February 6, 2027. And these fighters, according to Baraje who briefed last week are demanding a sum of N12billion which is to be paid upfront before they arrive Benue State through the Kwande waterways” a top security source told this newspaper and its media partners during the investigation.
It was learnt that Mr. Akutah and Mr. Byuan have released N8bn and N4bn respectively to the SGF who has also handed same over to Alhaji Kawu Baraje..
Another source said that these foreign fighters will start creating tensions everywhere in Benue especially in Zone A which is the Governor’s base. “The killings will be too many ahead of the election.
“And when these begin to happen, there will be a biased military deployment on the order of Akume and this will be granted immediately. In that case, the foreign fighters will have a smooth operation during the elections.
“Another plan is to use those military personnel to cage all the governor’s point men across the state. Many backers of the governor won’t even have access to freedom from four days to the election.
Also, any money for logistics will be seized by men of the EFCC that will be combing the state as from a week to the election day. Also, all the governor’s social media handlers will be arrested so no one will talk about their evil act” the sources added.