Benue government denies alleged attack on PDP chieftain, calls for Investigation

By Johnson Arua

The Benue State Government has dismissed claims of an attack on Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Bemgba Iortyom, on Friday night, describing the report as politically motivated and “theatrical.”

In a statement, Sir Tersoo Kula, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, questioned the credibility of Iortyom’s account, which described an attack by five assailants on motorbikes armed with short axes along George Akume Way. Iortyom claimed he narrowly escaped and that his car was subsequently set on fire.

“The story, as told, reads more like the opening scene of a poorly imagined action movie. It stretches the boundaries of logic and insults the intelligence of any serious reader,” Kula said.

Kula suggested that Iortyom’s claims were aimed at gaining public attention and political relevance, accusing him of using the alleged incident to paint a false picture of insecurity in Benue State.

He also referenced Iortyom’s past political alignment, saying, “With the level of creative imagination now on display, it becomes easier to understand why he once defended the administration of the Ortom-led government, an era where political storytelling often competed with dramatic exaggeration.”

The Chief Press Secretary called on security agencies to investigate the matter thoroughly. “Reporting a matter to security agencies and then passing judgment through commentaries without any investigation creates doubts about whether the incident was self-inflicted, or motivated by personal gain,” Kula said.

Governor Alia’s office urged Benue residents to remain calm and not be swayed by what it described as “politically charged accusations.”

The press release underscores the administration’s stance that the claims are unverified and potentially aimed at causing unnecessary political tension in he state.