Demolition:  PDP Rep’s Aspirant accuses Gov Alia of Selective Justice

…… Threatens Lawsuit Against Benue Govt.

From Attah Ede, Makurdi 

The House of Representative’s aspirant for Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency in the 2027 general elections, under the platform of the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in Benue State, Emmanuel Shior, has accused Governor Hyacinth Alia of engaging in alleged destruction of properties belonging to members of opposition parties.

Shior therefore, condemned the demolition of his business premises, Verlush Restaurant and Lounge, by the Benue State Urban Development Board, on the directive of Governor Hyacinth Alia.

The former executive secretary, State Emergency Management Agency, alleged that the state government had perpetually targeted business facility of members of the opposition in the state.

He added that other businesses  located along the same lane belonging to members of his political party (APC) were left undestroyed , an indication that the enforcement was selective.

Responding to the allegations, the Acting General Manager (GM), State Urban Development Board, Ternongo Mede, who confirmed that the Governor, gave him less than 12 hours, to pull down the structure or face the music, also claimed that the owner of the lounge was served notice for demolition on 20 th November, 2025.

But a member of the Shior Media Team, Tivta Samuel Aondohemba in a statement  issued and made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Sunday, insisted that the enforcement was deliberate and targeted at Shior, as a member of the opposition party in the state.

He maintained that  his principal would seek legal redress, in order to get justice, saying that the premises housing the facility was dully approved by the Benue State Urban Development Board.

Aondohemba lamented that while the demolition was conducted in the night, without prior notice, it did not give staff of the facility room to evacuate a single item from the lounge, including equipment, furniture, documents, and goods which were completely destroyed as the bulldozers rolled in.

“We wish to formally inform the public of the targeted and politically motivated demolition of Verlush Restaurant and Lounge, a business premises dully approved by the Benue State Urban Development Board and owned by the 2027 PDP aspirant for Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency Emmanuel Shior, carried out on the 21st November, 2025 in Makurdi on the direct orders of the Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia.

“It is on record that the Governor personally visited the Business premises, pointed at the structure, and instructed that the structure should be brought down in 30 minutes.

“Consequently, 10 minutes after he (Alia) left, officials of the Board arrived with heavily armed security personnel and bulldozers and immediately commenced demolition without any notice, explanation, or opportunity to salvage property.

“The staff of the Restaurant were not allowed to remove a single item. Equipment, furniture, documents, and goods were completely destroyed as the bulldozers moved in”, he alleged.

“It is highly suspicious that other businesses along the same lane including Star Shawarma were left untouched, clearly indicating selective enforcement and a deliberate attempt to target Shior as a member of the opposition and a PDP aspirant for Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency.

“To this moment, no official reason has been provided by the Alia administration or the Urban Development Board”, the statement said.

According to him, the destruction of the facility and the current state of insecurity bedeviling the state is a challenge  too many.

 “At a time when insecurity is ravaging Benue State, with countless communities under attack and citizens living in fear, we are deeply concerned that Governor Alia has chosen to deploy state power, security operatives, and government machinery to harass political opponents rather than protect the lives of the people he swore to serve.

“We strongly condemn this unlawful, vindictive, and undemocratic action, which represents a grave abuse of state authority and a disturbing attempt to intimidate members of the opposition.

“We call on well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organisations, democratic institutions, and the international community to take note of this growing pattern of state-sponsored intimidation in Benue State.”

He however stressed that “We remain committed to seeking legal redress and defending the principles of justice, democracy, and the rule of law.”

Meanwhile, the Acting General Manager, Benue State Urban Development Board, Ternongo Mede, in response to the allegations said, “I served them on 20th of this month (November), 2025, we went and mark the place, served them demolition and marked the place for demolition.

“Coincidentally, His excellency was passing there the following day which was Thursday.

“It was at that point he (Alia) called me to know why activity was there and I replied that we have served them and marked the place for demolition. 

But I told him we don’t have a moving vehicle to execute the demolition so he told me that he wanted me to do it (demolition) before the following day morning and if I don’t I would be in trouble. 

He called me around 5:30pm and I had to move there to carry out the directive”, he said.