Benue judicial crisis: Tribunal lawyers raise alarm over growing insecurity at tribunal venues

By Attah Ede 

The All Progressive Congress (APC) lawyers at the ongoing Local Government Election Tribunals in Benue State, have written to the panel’s chairmen over growing security concerns at the tribunal venues across the three senatorial zones.. 

This was contained in three seperate letters signed by Matthew Burkaa SAN, 

Mohammed Ndarani SAN, Sunday Ameh SAN for Zone A, B & C senatorial districts addressed to the tribunal chairmen and made available to newsmen in Makurdi. 

In their separate letters titled “Re: Notice of Tribunal Sitting on Monday 24th February, 2025 and Our Security Concerns” the lawyers urged the court not to sit over security concerns. 

Burkaa who is representing Zone B senatorial district in his letter said he represents 294 respondents in all the pending 104 Petitions before the Tribunal in the zone. 

Burkaa said they received notice through the Secretary of the Tribunal – Emmanuel Awuhe via the ‘Local Government Petition Tribunal Makurdi’ Whatsapp group of the tribunal’s intention to sit on 24th Feb. 

He said they were earlier notified that the Tribunal would not sit on 21st February, 2025 and that a new date for the Petition(s) would be communicated to counsel on 24th February in Court. 

He said they were taken aback when  they received hearing notice that the Tribunal would resume sitting on Monday 24 February. 

“We have noted the brewing tense security situation around the court premises and within the state in the past few days. 

“These state of affairs have created a serious security concern to us, as we fear for the safety of our team of lawyers and our clients should they attend sitting on the Said date of Monday, 24th February, 2025. 

“Consequent upon the above, we hereby respectfully request that the tribunal sitting be adjourned to a further and tentative date when adequate security measures would have been put in place to guarantee our collective security. 

“We shall be graciously delighted if our request is given immediate and adequate due consideration.” the letter read

Also, Ndarani SAN and Ameh SAN all who represent respondents in the Zone A & B senatorial district  all aligned themselves completely with the BurkaaBurkaa in their letters.