Our Reporter
Again, armed militia unleashed violence on the senator representing Benue North East senatorial zone of Benue State, Seantor Emmmanuel Udende, this time at the 2025 annual Harvest and thanksgiving at Kpe Aya, Tsua Mbagbera, Vandeikya Local Government Area.
Thugs in their numbers earlier blocked the Senator’s advanced team, beat up his staff and supporters into the bushes using weapons and destroyed their vehicles.
Eye witness said the attackers also blocked the Senator’s convoy but were overpowered by the lawmaker’s security who escorted them into the venue.
According to eye witness, while the programme was ongoing at the
House of Solution Church of all Nations, Vandeikya region, the thugs mobilized with chants of “No Alia No Benue” and disrupted the venue, inflicted injuries on people with the exception of the lawmaker who was heavily shielded by security personnel.
Attacks on opposition members within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue state on the side of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume with the view to prevent them from public functions including Church programmes have being a recurring decimal in Benue State over time.
Confirming the attack, the media Adviser to the Senator, Jerry Iorngaem said he personally escaped into the bush when their advanced team was attacked.
According to him: “What you heard is true, we were on our way to a Church programme, the 2025 annual Harvest and thanksgiving at Kpe Aya, Tsua Mbagbera, Vandeikya Local Government Area when my I was attacked, my vehicles destroyed and were chased into the bushes.
“I personally escaped by the whiskers and managed to find my way at the venue. The Senator’s convoy was blocked as well from accessing the venue by thugs.
“It was the security personnel who removed the blockage and escorted Senator Udende into the venue, but towards the end of the programme we saw the Chairman of the Local Government Dennis Terkura Guda, the police DPO and other thugs who violently chased us away using all manner of weapons, infact they turned down all the canopies at the time the senator was on his way.
“They were chanting songs of ‘No Alia No Benue’, threatening that nobody will be allowed to hold any Church programme here as long as that person does not belong to the camp of the State Governor, Hyacinth Alia”.
“I call on the security agencies to take note of these attacks that have become too many in this State by these No Alia No Benue group of thugs pathetic to the State Governor because these are not part of our democracy.
“I will make a formal complaint like we have always done and will again take it up at the higher authorities. This is unfortunate and unacceptable in a civilized and democratic country.”
Earlier this year, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume was attacked at the Makurdi Airport by similar thugs and humiliated during a State visit.
The ‘No Alia No Benue’ thugs had also prevented members of the National Assembly who are believed to be on the side of the SGF from attending public programmes across the State last year including senators Titus Zam, Honourable Dickson Tarkhir, Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council, Dr Pius Akutah, Executive Director Accounts and Finance, Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Dr Mathias Byuan and many others.
