BENUE GOVERNOR’S AIDES SUSPENDED FOR JOINING PROTEST OVER MASS KILLINGS

The Benue State Government has plunged into a fresh round of internal controversy following the indefinite suspension of two top aides to Governor Hyacinth Alia, who were accused of joining a public protest against the recent wave of killings in the state.
Hon. Atu Terver Joseph, the Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth and Media Mobilization, announced the suspension of Mr. John Ukeyima, Chief of Staff, and Mr. Lubem Terkula, Chief Press Secretary, in a letter dated June 14, 2025. According to the letter, both men were removed from office for acting “against the explicit directives” of Governor Alia.
“This decision has been made due to your actions that have been deemed as working against the explicit directives of your Principal,” the letter stated. “You are to refrain from all official duties and responsibilities, and you are not permitted to represent this office or me in any capacity.”
The suspensions came just hours after a large-scale demonstration rocked Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on Sunday. Hundreds of aggrieved youths poured into the streets, demanding immediate government action to end the relentless violence attributed to armed herdsmen. The protest was triggered by the most recent atrocity in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, where local sources reported that nearly 250 people were killed in coordinated attacks across several communities.
Sources close to the administration told reporters that the two suspended officials were present at the protest—not in official capacity but in what some have described as a “solidarity gesture.” Their presence, however, appeared to contradict the government’s efforts to manage the situation quietly and avoid inflaming public tensions further.
Critics say the suspensions reflect growing fractures within Governor Alia’s inner circle, as pressure mounts over the perceived lack of urgency in addressing the prolonged security crisis. The decision has been met with backlash from civil society groups and youth leaders, who accuse the government of punishing those who stand with the people.
“This is not the time for political retaliation,” one activist said. “People are dying, and the government should focus on solutions, not scapegoats.”
Governor Alia had previously confirmed that 59 people were officially counted as dead in the Yelewata attacks, but residents and local observers insist the true toll is significantly higher. Religious leaders, including Pope Leo XIV, have condemned the massacre in strong terms, describing it as a humanitarian tragedy requiring urgent international attention.
The fallout from the protest and subsequent suspensions signals a deepening political crisis in Benue State—one in which public grief, internal government discord, and escalating violence now converge.