Benue Lawmaker Sues Governor Alia For N1 Billion Over Alleged Defamation

Also 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.

In the statement of claim, Hon. Ugbor 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 October 16th, 2023, to the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), requesting 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 stated that as the humanitarian situation continued to worsen with no positive response from NEMA, he decided to write another letter on May 8th, 2024, to the agency, requesting urgent intervention for the victims in Moon, Menev, Liev 1, Liev 2, Yaav, Kumakwagh, 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 included in the suit filed on behalf of Hon. Ugbor by his counsel, Dr. Emmanuel Agbakor.

Hon. Ugbor stated that on September 11th, 2024, while he was in the United States attending to matters of national interest, he arranged for the relief materials to be conveyed from NEMA’s warehouse in Jos to Makurdi for storage at a public commercial warehouse for safety, pending his return to distribute the items to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in his constituency.

Ugbor averred 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 the palliatives, and attached 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,” where Uzaan published defamatory words against him.

Ugbor further alleged that on September 18th, Mr. Kula also took to his Facebook page and published a press statement on behalf of himself and 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 also stated that on September 18th, 2024, in a video shared on Fr. Alia TV Network that went viral on social media, especially Facebook, Governor Alia made several defamatory statements, claiming that he (Ugbor) had diverted palliatives meant for IDPs in Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency and referred to him as a “dishonourable member.”

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

Hon. Ugbor is also seeking a court order directing Governor Alia, Kula, and Uzaan to retract all the defamatory publications against him and tender a public apology, to be published in no less than five national dailies, as well as on Facebook and other social media platforms.

The plaintiff is further seeking a perpetual injunction restraining all the defendants, their privies, servants, agents, surrogates, or whosoever from defaming him.

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

A date is yet to be fixed for the hearing of the suit.