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Chief Bembga Iortyom, a prominent PDP chieftain and Consultant on Media & Public Communications in Benue State, has claimed he was the target of a politically motivated attack last night in Makurdi, during which his car was set ablaze.
In a detailed account posted on social media, Chief Iortyom narrated that the incident occurred on George Akume Way, in the heart of the state capital. While attempting to park and make a phone call, five assailants on two motorcycles blocked his path. Armed with short axes, they descended on him.
He credited quick thinking and divine intervention for his escape, stating that he managed to open his car door and run to safety as the attackers poured fuel on his Peugeot 406 Saloon and set it on fire, reducing the vehicle to ashes. He noted that onlookers urged him to flee but did not intervene further, and his shouts for help went unanswered as the assailants fled on their bikes.
Chief Iortyom said he has since reported the matter to the police and investigations are ongoing. However, he insisted the attack could not have come as a surprise to the people of Benue, asserting that the stage for such violence had been set by Governor Hyacinth Alia himself.
He accused the governor of openly urging supporters in churches and other public forums to adopt violence as a political tool. He also pointed to public statements and threats allegedly made by high-ranking officials, including the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Berger Alfred Emberga, former Nigerian Ambassador to Namibia Terhemen Tarzoor, and others, who he claimed have prescribed violence against perceived opponents of the governor.
Additionally, he alleged that thugs operating under the office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Affairs, Terver Gbenda, have posted video messages on social media threatening violence against anyone voicing opposition to Governor Alia.
Chief Iortyom described the incident as part of a broader pattern of politically motivated violence in the state, warning that unless curbed, Benue risks descending into total anarchy. He called on security agencies whose allegiance he said is to the Constitution and not to any individual or group to rise to their duty and protect citizens before people are forced into self-help and lawlessness.
He emphasized that no individual or group should hold a monopoly on violence, and that citizens pushed to the wall, deprived of legal protection, would exercise their fundamental right to life and self-defense.
The PDP stalwart concluded by urging authorities to act decisively to prevent further escalation, stating that the safety of all citizens must be guaranteed regardless of political affiliation.
No official response has been received from the state government or security agencies at the time of this report.
