(SINL NIGERIA) Reports have emerged that palliatives donated by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to the member, House of Representatives, Hon. Terseer Ugbor for onward distribution to Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kwande/Ushongo federal Constituency have been seized and diverted to Government House, Makurdi, on the orders of Governor Hyacinth Alia.
A source who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that Hon. Ugbor, worried by untold hardship faced by IDPs in his constituency, had approached NEMA and solicited for the food and non-food items to alleviate their plight.
SINL Nigeria Online reports that the items, which included sacks of garri, rice, wrappers, mosquito nets, seasoning cubes, and tomato paste, were entrusted to the Senior Legislative Aide of the Federal lawmaker, Hon. Ajai Francis, who, in collaboration with NEMA, transported the goods to Makurdi, Benue State, to offload at a warehouse, pending when appropriate dates would be fixed for distribution to the IDPs, under supervision of NEMA and SEMA.
It was gathered that, while the items were being offloaded, the Chief Security Officer to the Governor in connivance with the representative of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), who were also present, stopped the exercise, saying the Governor has ordered them to move the entire items immediately to Government House.
Meanwhile, numerous efforts were made to clarify that the seized palliatives were released from NEMA’s office in Jos to the lawmaker for IDPs in his constituency, while several government officials, security personnel including, DSS and Police, have also been contacted regarding the matter.
Despite the clarifications and efforts made so far, the governor has remained adamant in releasing the truck and items.
Additionally, the truck owner is said to be piling much pressure on the lawmaker to get his truck, saying he has continued to charge demurrage as each day passes.
The development is said to have caused huge setback in concerted efforts by the lawmaker to bring relief to IDPs in his constituency, who have been hungry and languishing in camps.
However, efforts to reach officials of the Benue state government was unsuccessful.
