Saturday, 6th July, 2024
The Special Adviser on Pubic Affairs to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Hon. Terrence Kuanum has bemoaned the growing trend of officials of government in Benue State using thugs to disrupt peaceful assemblies of citizens in the state has assumed a menacing dimension and frequency which must not be allowed to continue. Mr. Kuanum stated that:
"The trend is most commonly found with Caretaker Chairmen of local government councils in the state invading and disrupting congregations at churches under whatever reason they fancy.
" Yesterday, the Caretaker Chairman of Vandeikya Local Government Council, Dennis Guda, in the company of thugs invaded and violently disrupted proceedings at the 40th Priestly Anniversary/Church Building and Celebration of Papal Award Of Monsignor for Rev. Monsignor Michael Nyitor Buter held at the Divine Providence Rectory, Bebe in Vandeikya Local Government of the state.
"In attendance at the event were the Executive Director, Housing, Finance and Accounts, Federal Housing Authority, Dr. Mathias Terwase Ibyuan, in personal capacity and as representative of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, as well as Benue State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Austine Agada, serving and former State officials of the APC, including the party's immediate past State Chairman, Comrade Abba Yaro and other dignitaries, some of who came from various parts of the country to grace the occasion.
"Previously, the Caretaker Chairman of Konshisha, Philip Achua, with thugs had invaded and disrupted a Thanksgiving Mass at Annunciation Catholic Rectory, in Tsuwe Daka, Shangev Tiev of Konsisha Local Government Area of the state, on Sunday, 12th May, 2024, attended by House of Representatives Member for Vandeikya/ Konshisha Federal Constituency, Hon. Sesoo Ikpagher.
"The Reps member was violently assaulted in the process and a head injury inflicted on him right in the presence and supervision of Caretaker Chairman Achua and the Commissioner for Humanitarian And Disaster Management in the state, Aondowase Kunde.
On Friday, 21st June, 2024, the Caretaker Chairman of Ushongo Local Government Area of the state, Mvendaga Atetan, ordered the police in Lessel to arrest and detain 6 officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Mbagba Council Ward of the area.
"The arrest came on the heels of the same Caretaker Chairman having sent security agents some days earlier to lay siege on Atekombo, the headquarters of Mbagba Council Ward under the guise enforcing a ban on public gatherings.
" On 30th June, 2024, the Caretaker Chairman for Guma Local Government Area of the state, Unongo Simon, attempted to stop a Thanksgiving/ Church Building Fund Raising Service at the NKST Church, Daudu in Guma LGA where SGF Senator George Akume was the Special Guest.
The Caretaker Chairman had cited security reasons, but on the provision of sufficient security guaranteed from the teeming supporters of the APC and community leaders of the host community, the event held, and the sinister intentions of the Guma local council caretaker chairman towards stopping it were averted.
"Yesterday's violent disruption of the Priestly Anniversary event in Vandeikya by the local government caretaker chairman and his thugs was one too many of those ugly infractions of the law by officials of government who are vested with the responsibility to maintain law and order.
"It behoves Governor Hyacinth Alia to break his silence and order a stop to those acts of lawlessness taking place under his watch, as to continue to do otherwise is tantamount to approval of same.
" Thuggery must not be a part of politics anywhere in Nigeria under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu Presidency.
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