REVELATIONS OF THE SHANGEV-YA POLITICAL IMBROGLIO

 

Recent political happenings in Shangev-ya, Kwande Local Government came to international status, when Prof. Steve Ugbah, ACN gubernatorial candidate in the April polls was linked to it, arrested and charged to court. KSN did an investigation on the crisis.

            The political imbroglio which has its roots in the mass movement of many Shangev-ya people from PDP to ACN in January 2011 reached its climax when Mr. Charles Ayede, a prominent Shangev-ya son was brutally murdered. Prior to Ayede’s death, the main issue on ground was the allegation of Hon. B B Nungwa who is a member of Benue State House of Assembly (ACN Kwande West) that Hon. D.I Akpagher, PDP contestant for the Kwande West seat was planning to kill him.

He started petitioning Akpagher and other PDP members as early as March 2011, this was before the elections were conducted. In the first letter which was dated March 3, 2011, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Hon. B B identified those who were after him and others to include, “Chief Terlumun Akputu, Pastor Ayambo, Pastor Daniel Iorbee Akpagher, Pastor Moses Akem, Hon, Shina Baver, Philip Akume, Hon, Geoffrey Akula, Hon. Julius Jev”.

            He also petitioned the above to the Shangev-ya elders as it is reflected in petition addressed to the commissioner of police signed by Hon. B B Nungwa dated May 02, 2011, “it will interest you to hear that an attempt was made on Monday May 2^nd 2011, by four unknown person riding in an unregistered black jeep who wanted to trace my house and possibly do away with my life.”

            He stated further that, “four persons came to my office situated at No. 35A new Bridge Road near the new office of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria in Makurdi at about 12:30 AM and insisted that my security guard on duty must show my Makurdi Residence. They hid under the pretext that they had entered into a business deal with me which they wanted to conclude by making the final payment to me in person”.

            Hon. Nungwa averred that, “my suspicion is still directed at those mentioned in my letter of March 3^rd 2011, as these are people that are after me with pastor Daniel Iorbee Akpegher as my principal suspect .”

             In yet another petition, dated 17^th May, 2011, Nungwa wrote to the commissioner of police that, “while awaiting your action on the reports, we further want to bring to your attention other clandestine activities being fueled by our political opponents to make sure that they implicate and nail us by all means as they continue with their murderous plans on  us.”

            “Following the incessant threats to our lives, we lodged a compliant to the elders (ityo) and traditional rulers of our community, Shangev-ya in Kwande Local Government Area in Benue State”. He stated in this petition which he jointly  signed with  Hon. Adzua Ashongo.

            The elders fixed the meeting on Saturday, 14^th May, 2011 at Koti, Shangev-ya, to work at the allegations, KSN learnt. Our investigation further revealed that it was the desire of Mr. Adaa Maagbe and late Charles Ayede to be at the meeting after the burial of Late Mrs. Mimi Alu, wife of Katsina-Alu, who was to be buried on the same day. But Ayede was killed far away in kardorko a day to the meeting.  Ayede’s death apart, the meeting was billed to hold. But a source at the meeting revealed that passions were very high at the meeting due to Ayede’s death and since the attendance was also poor, the meeting was rescheduled for the next day, 15^th May, 2011.

            On this fixed day, which was on Sunday, unknown to the chiefs and some of the PDP members, Governor Suswam was attending a mass in the country home of the Security Adviser, in Mbawer, Kwande Local Government. Divided between attending the rescheduled meeting at Koti and thanksgiving mass ;in the end, all the three District Heads of Tondov I, Tondov II and Mbakatsa shunned the meeting for the mass; also with the prominent sons and daughters of PDP extraction.

            The elders and mostly ACN members who turned up for the 15^th May meeting at Koti considered this a deliberate attempt to down play their plight. So with the elders, KSN learnt, they ostracised their chiefs and prominent sons from PDP who were invited but refused to come.

            The following morning as at 1:00 am, the round hut of the PDP woman leader (Mbaketsa), Mrs. Torkwase Malu was burnt down. In an interview with KSN in Ajio recently, Torkwase said, “since most of our people moved to ACN; some of us who opted to continue in PDP were virtually ostracised from the community life”- she told us that she could not walk freely without receiving insults from angry youths. So she had identified some of the youths who were found of insulting her, “some even said it was because of my business place, that is, my hut which was burnt, where I used to sell drinks, that I was feeling important and that, shortly I will have nothing to rely on.”

            Mrs Malu, who is reported to have injured a youngman and broke his head during the gubernatorial election, told KSN further that, “as the elders moved about to announce their resolution  at the koti meeting, I overhead Hon. Adzua Ashongo asking the youths why they hae not started burning down structures”

            So when she woke up and saw her hut in flames that morning, she had her suspicion. Later that morning she lodged her complain and four that  of those  ACN youths were arrested. These were Terwase Ashiekaa, Atime  Tersoo, Ortse  Cyprian and a 12 years old boy, Mteseer Akaachir. They were detained in Adikpo for some days. What looked like a reprisal from the PDP was carried out and the shops and chemist shops of Tersoo Atime and Cyprian Hono respectively, were affected. This incident was reported and 3 people PDP were linked to the  arson. These were Terkura Ahendaan (Dey There), Anweh Ajiva and Shanger. Veregh; only Ahendan was arrested; the others ran away.

            In a twist of issues, one of the suspects for arson against ACN store owner, Mr. Ajiva returned with police men and arrested more people indiscriminately.

            The villagers who spoke to KSN at Ajio said they were confused to see some one who shortly was on the run to come back with the police who where after him to arrest others. those arrested were Cyprian Hono, Godwin Agee, Hon. Iorfa Tsehe, Terlumun Sachia, Tertese Songo, Bem Gunji, Terhemen Yuazwa and Myima Wuese.

            Those were the people who were together with the ACN gubernatorial candidate for April 26^th 2011, Prof. Steve Ugbah, Adaa Maagba, Abua Yajir, on 24^th May, 2011 were charged to a magistrate court in Makurdi for, “criminal conspiracy, intimidation, rioting and mischief by fire.

            Unfortunately for Terkura Ahendan, a PDP youth, who is known as Dey There a card carrying member of PDP, his party has summarily joined a case against him with Ugbah.

            Speaking to us in Ajio, Dey There told us that, “my party elders in Makurdi has called me and promised me a lawyer who will fight my case”. When we asked what could be his case, he was at loss. He has not realized that in a rush, his party has instituted a case against him.

            Meanwhile, accusation and counter accusations are going on. The ACN members have accused Torkwase Malu for burning down her hut to get compensation. This position is supported by a petition signed by Hon. B B Nungwa and Adzua Ashongo.

These actions taken by the elders of Shangev-ya infuriated some of District Heads, daughters and sons ostracised at the meeting which occasioned these sons and daughters holding an emergency meeting at Adikpo in the house of one Mrs. Margaret Upev.     

            At the meeting, they argued it was resolved that “the women (sic) leader for Mbaketsa, Torkwase Malu should go and burn down her thatched round hut (Ate) where she sells food and drinks go ahead and implicate selected ACN members including Hon
BB Nungwa, Hon. Adzua Ashongo so that they would invite the police to get them arrested and prosecuted for arson, inciting disturbance and mischief. She would threafter be compensated”.

            They also alleged that  Hon.Wokaven Bver was also to do same. That while the later declined , “Mrs Torkwase Malu, True to their design at the meeting, went  aheard , burnt the hut and has now framed us by reporting to the police”

            Reacting to their allegation, Mrs. Malu said , “ how can I burn down my hut? Am I mad. It was the  ACN members who came and did it.

            In the suit against them  at Magistrate court holden in   Makurdi, Governor Suswam is arguing that all those activities were sparked up by Ugbah’s press conference on 14^th May, 2011, in Makurdi where Ugbah linked him  to the death of Mr. Charles Ayede.