Category: News

Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia recently delivered a political speech in his home local government area of Vandeikya, where he described himself as a man of action rather than words.

In the roughly 20-minute address, he made it clear that he prefers to let his deeds speak for themselves rather than making long public statements.

The governor also issued a veiled warning to certain individuals who, according to him, are enjoying particular benefits while allegedly working against the interests of the Vandeikya community as the 2027 elections approach.

Although he stopped short of naming anyone directly, the message was pointed enough to spark debate online, with his supporters and critics drawing different conclusions about who exactly he was referring to.

The speech comes at a time when political activity is quietly picking up steam across Benue State, as various groups begin positioning themselves ahead of the next general election cycle.

Yahaya Sulaiman, a Fulani herdsman, was kidnapped at Ijebu-Jesa, in the state’s Oriade local government area, according to confirmation from Osun State Police Command.

Abiodun Ojelabi, the police public relations officer, verified the event on Wednesday and said that security personnel had started looking into it.

Ojelabi revealed that the kidnappers seemed to have targeted the victim deliberately throughout the assault.

The victim is a Fulani herder named Yahaya Sulaiman. Police responded to the event right away after it was reported. He claimed that he was clearly the target of the attack.

He claims that “before carrying out the abduction, the gunmen reportedly asked a resident where the victim was.”

They encountered someone when they arrived at the area and informed them that they were trying to find the kidnapped individual. They were precise.

The command has opened an investigation into the event, according to the police spokeswoman, who also urged the public to offer helpful information that could support the rescue effort.

“The police are doing what they can while they wait for the anti-kidnapping authorities to arrive, but the victim’s family has not yet reported to them, despite the ongoing investigation,” he stated.

The incident happened around 9 p.m. on Monday near the Iloko/Ijebu-Jesa Road, according to a source in Ijebu-Jesa who asked to remain anonymous for security concerns.

According to a town security source, the kidnappers seemed to have known the victim beforehand and pursued him on purpose.

According to the source, the gunmen first asked a local resident for information about Sulaiman’s locations before locating him and transporting him to an unidentified location.

“The incident occurred in Oriade LG along Iloko/Ijebu Jesa Road at approximately 21:00 on May 4, 2026.” According to the informant, the gunmen explicitly demanded to know Yahaya Sulaiman’s location when they opened fire late in the evening.

Among the local Fulani males, he is a huge man. He is a cow breeder. The kidnappers have called his family and demanded a ransom of N70 million, he continued.

When a suspect in Delta State is killed extrajudicially by a police officer, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has once again promised that justice will be done.

During a news conference on Tuesday at the Nigerian Police Peace Keeping Hall at Force Headquarters, the IGP made the guarantee.

He said that the Nigeria Police Force dismissed the offending officer and members of his squad from duty in a prompt and decisive manner.

He claims that the Directorate of Public Prosecutions has received the case file for potential criminal prosecution.

“We won’t ignore this issue. The IGP promised to pursue accountability to the logical and complete end.

“I also want to document that the suspect was discovered in possession of four rounds of live 9mm ammo and a locally made Beretta handgun. There are still investigations going on.

“I tell the Nigerian people that the Nigeria Police Force is not defined by this episode. However, how we react to it will. And we have a clear response: no exceptions, complete accountability, and zero tolerance.

He continued by revealing that the Nigeria Police Force had achieved a number of successes in April 2026 through intelligence-led operations, including the arrest of 28 suspected terrorists, 51 suspects in murder or culpable homicide, 62 suspects in armed robbery, 85 suspects in kidnapping, and 54 suspects in cults.

He claimed that 189 kidnapping victims were saved as a result of police actions.

Similarly, the IGP reported that 37 stolen vehicles, 1,074 calibers of ammunition, and 140 different types of weaponry were recovered in various operations.