A Benue State High Court sitting in Makurdi has ordered substituted service on Governor Hyacinth Alia and two of his aides in a N1 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Hon. Terseer Ugbor, the lawmaker representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency.
Justice I.N. Igoh issued the order following an ex parte motion filed by Ugbor through his counsel, Emmanuel Agbakor, who informed the court that all efforts to effect personal service on the defendants had proven abortive.
The court directed that the writ of summons, motion on notice, and all accompanying processes be served by posting them on the court's noticeboard and by publication in Blueprint newspaper, Vanguard newspaper, or any national daily circulating in Benue State.
Also named in the suit are the Governor's Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, and the Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media, Isaac Uzaan.
According to court documents in suit MHC/422/24, the dispute stems from allegations that Hon. Ugbor diverted relief materials meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in his constituency.
Ugbor claims he had written multiple letters to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) between October 2023 and May 2024 requesting palliatives for displaced victims of herdsmen attacks in various council wards of Kwande Local Government Area.
The lawmaker stated that NEMA eventually approved and released relief materials, which he arranged to be stored temporarily at a commercial warehouse in Makurdi while he was on an official trip to the United States. He provided receipts for the warehouse rental as evidence.
However, Ugbor alleges that Governor Alia impounded the vehicle transporting the items. Subsequently, both Uzaan and Kula published statements on their Facebook pages accusing him of diverting relief materials intended for IDPs.
The lawmaker further claimed that Governor Alia made defamatory statements in a viral video shared on Fr. Alia TV Network, referring to him as a "dishonourable member" who diverted palliatives meant for IDPs.
In his suit, Ugbor is seeking several reliefs, including an order directing the defendants to remove all defamatory posts from their social media platforms, publish retractions and public apologies in at least five national dailies and on social media, and pay N1 billion in damages for defamation of character and reputation.
The case highlights growing tensions between the executive and legislative arms of government in Benue State, particularly regarding the management and distribution of relief materials to vulnerable populations affected by insecurity in the region.
