Alleged defamation: Governor Alia in legal battle over N1bn suit

By David Odama

Governor Hyncinth Alia of Benue is allegedly embattled in a N1bn suit instituted against him by a federal lawmaker representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency of Benue state, Hon.

Joined as co-defendants in the suit marked MHC/422/2024 are the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Benue State, Mr Tersoo Kula and Isaac Uzaan, identified in the suit as a media aide to the governor.

Hon. Ugbor in the statement of claim filed before the makurdi division of the high court averred that as a responsible representative who has the plight of his constituents at heart, he had written two letters dated October 9th, 2023 and 16th October, 2023 to the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, requesting for palliatives to support the displaced victims of herdsmen attacks in Moon, Yaav, Kumakwagh and Mbadura Council Wards of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.

The Kwande/Ushongo representative averred that the humanitarian situation kept increasing with no positive response from NEMA, he decided to write another letter on May 8th, 2024, to the said agency requesting for urgent intervention in support of victims in Moon,Menev, Liev 1,Liev 2,Yaav, Kumakwagh, Yaav and Mbadura council wards of Kwande Local Government, NEMA finally approved and released relief materials for his constituents as requested and he wrote a letter on the same date acknowledging receipt.

All letters have been pleaded in the suit filed for Hon. Ugbor by his counsel Dr. Emmanuel Agbakor.

Hon. Ugbor stated that on September 11th, 2024, while he was in the United States of America attending to matters of national interest, he arranged and conveyed the relief materials from the warehouse of NEMA in Jos to Makurdi for storage at a public commercial warehouse for safety to enable him return and convey the items to his constituency for distribution to the internally displaced people.

Ugbor claimed further that the palliatives were kept at Culture warehouse located at 6E Wantor Kwange Street, Makurdi, Benue State, a public warehouse that was hired for the storage of palliatives pending the return of Hon. Ugbor from his official trip for onward distribution to the internally displaced people in his constituency,attaching receipts for payment of the warehouse.

He alleged that to his surprise, Governor Alia impounded the vehicle conveying the items and when he(Ugbor) raised complaints, Mr Isaac Uzaan took to his Facebook timeline and authored a publication entitled “RE:ALIA VOWS TO MAKE LIFE UNBEARABLE FOR IDPS IN KWANDE” wherein the said Uzaan published defamatory words against him.

Ugbor also alleged that Mr Kula on September 18th took to his Facebook page published a press statement for himself and on behalf of Governor Alia entitled “Gov. ALIA HANDS OVER TRUCK OF DIVERTED RELIEF MATERIALS TO EFCC/ICPC” wherein the Governor and Mr Kula defamed his character and reputation.

The House of Representatives member further stated that Governor Alia also on the 18th Day of September, 2024, in a video shared on Fr. Alia TV Network which went viral on social media especially Facebook made several defamatory statements that he(Ugbor) diverted palliatives meant for Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) in Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency and referred to him(Ugbor) as a “dishonourable member”.

In the suit, the member representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency is seeking an order of court directing Governor Alia, Tersoo Kulas and Isaac Uzaan to pull down all the defamatory posts/publications against him posted on their Facebook pages.

Hon. Ugbor is seeking an order of court directing Governor Alia, Kula and Uzaan to retract all the defamatory publications against him and tender a public apology to him to be published in not less than five national dailies as well as on Facebook and social media platforms.

The plaintiff is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining all the defendants, their privies, servants, agents, surrogates or whosoever called from defaming him.

Hon. Ugbor is further seeking an order of court directing Governor Alia, Tersoo Kulas and Isaac Uzaan to jointly or severally pay him the sum of N1 billion as damages for defamation of his character and reputation, amongst other reliefs.

A date is yet to be done