Tension Rises in Benue Over Reported Disappearance of Governor Alia’s Aide

By Our Correspondent

Tension is mounting in Benue State following the reported disappearance of two individuals, one of whom is a close aide to Governor Hyacinth Alia.

One of the missing persons, Atu Terver, Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth and Media Mobilisation, was said to have disappeared on Tuesday while travelling from Makurdi to Abuja.

The second case involves Asom Jerry, a social media activist whose disappearance has sparked widespread discussions online. While some social media users alleged Jerry was arrested by the police, others insisted that his whereabouts remain unknown.

Confirming the development, Mrs. Civir Terver, wife of the governor’s aide, said her husband had left Makurdi for Abuja but never arrived.

“He left Makurdi on Tuesday and was coming to see us in Abuja but did not show up. The case was reported at the police station in Abuja, and they told us they were investigating it. As of today, I am yet to get any useful information about his whereabouts,” she said.

Asked if the state government had contacted her, Mrs. Terver stated that she had not received any communication from her husband’s employer.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was not aware of Jerry’s alleged arrest and clarified that Terver’s disappearance happened outside Benue.

“I don’t have any information on the alleged arrest of the social media activist, as I am just hearing it from you. Regarding Governor Alia’s appointee, it happened in Abuja, not in Benue State,” she said.

Efforts to reach the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kula Terso, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls.

In a related development, the Austin Agada-led All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue expressed deep concern over the disappearance of both men.

In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Daniel Ihomun, the faction criticised Governor Alia for what it described as his silence on the matter.

“The sudden disappearance of notable Benue citizens, including activist and fierce government critic, Asom Jerry, and the Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth and Media Mobilisation, Atu Terver, popularly known as Krazy T, has created deep fear and uncertainty among our people. These incidents strike at the heart of public trust in government and the security agencies mandated to protect citizens,” the statement partly read.

The APC faction further expressed worry over the governor’s silence, “offering no reassurance, update, or concrete action.”

Condemning what it described as the “insensitivity and inaction” of the Alia administration, the group urged security agencies to intensify investigations, track down the missing persons, and bring those responsible to justice.

It also called on the state government to “speak up, act responsibly, and provide credible information to reassure the people that their lives and rights are valued and protected.”The Punch