Group blasts Ado council chairman over media attacks on Benue deputy speaker 

…Says  council boss must address ongoing criminalities in Ezza-Ezekuna communities 

By John Ogbu, Makurdi 

The Ezza-Ezekuna socio-cultural group in Benue State under the umbrella of Ezza-Ezekụna Benue Development Association  (EEBDA), has condemned the alleged persistent  media attacks on member representing Ado State constituency and deputy speaker, Benue State House  of Assembly, Chief Mrs. Lami Ogenyi by the Executive Chairman of Ado LGC, Sunday Oche.

The organisation noted that the attention of Ezza-Ezekụna Benue Development Association  (EEBDA) has been drawn to series of media outpours targeted at the Deputy Speaker due to her upright position against criminal activities of a new terror group  that have been terrorising some communities in Ado LG.

The EEBDA in a statement signed by its President General,Lady Perpetual Nkechi Okafor and Board of Trustee Chairman, Ogbuefi Chinedu Linus Nweke alleged that the council boss had failed to address the illegal detention cell being operated by some individuals in all his media outing and press releases.

They further lamented inhuman treatment and rape carried out by the terror group against one Mrs Ukoro Chinyere, a mother of eight who was locked up in the cell for one month by the criminal elements after it was officially reported to Igumale division police on 7TH of July 2025. 

The group says it may interest the  public to know that two of the illegal detention cell guards  were arrested at the scene of the crime by the police, but unfortunately the Ado Council chairman, a supposed chief security officer of the LG, on the 8th of July ordered the release of the suspects. 

A development, the group said prompted the victims wrote petitions to the appropriate authorities, including Chief Lami Ogenyi, who is representing the Adọ State Constituency and the deputy speaker as well in reach of justice.

The EEBDA further explained that the decision of the Ezza Benue people to commence seeking for justice for the kidnapped victims was as a result of the chairman’s constant moves to frustrate the arrest and prosecution of this criminal elements, adding that if the Ado chairman did not order the release of those arrested boys, no body would have accused him of anything. 

According to them, the Deputy Speaker, Mrs. Lami Ogenyi is only standing for justice for the oppressed and helpless people in her constituency and has no political undertone attached to her actions as being  speculation by the Ado chairman and his supporters .

 They said the council Chairman being the chief security officer of the local government should not be at the forefront of breeding insecurity of lives and properties of Ezza Benue people and others in the local government, stating that any rally or petition organised against the Deputy speaker amount to a mere blackmail and will not stand the test of time.

“The Ezza Ezekuna Benue Development Association  (EEBDA) leadership called on the chairman of Ado local Government, pleaded with him not to enforce the release of the arrested boys in order to allow police do proper investigation, but he bluntly refused, saying he can’t allow his boys to stay in police custody.

“The decision of the Ezza Benue people to commence seeking for justice for the kidnapp victims was because the Ado Local Government chairman boldly and vehemently  frustrated the effort to make the arrested boys face the law.

“If the Ado LG chairman did not order the release of those arrested boys, no body would have involved him in this matter”, the group said.