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A concerned citizen and self-described advocate, popularly known as D’naked Elder Sughnen Y., has confirmed the submission of a formal appeal letter to Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, calling for urgent implementation of rent control measures to address the escalating cost of residential apartments across Benue State.
According to an update shared publicly on January 29, 2026, the appeal—titled “An Appeal for the Implementation of Rent Control in Benue State”—was delivered on January 28, 2026, through a legal team. The document invokes Section 4(1) of the Rent Control and Recovery of Residential Premises Law 1977, Laws of Benue State, as the legal basis for the request.
The letter was reportedly received and duly acknowledged by the governor’s office. Expressing confidence in a positive response, the advocate described Governor Alia as a leader of “positive impact” who is tirelessly working to bring development to the state while acting as a “father to struggling people.”
The appeal highlights the severe economic strain high rental rates are placing on the majority of Benue residents, particularly civil servants, small business owners, farmers, petty traders, and vulnerable street dwellers. The writer noted that recent insecurity in rural areas has driven large numbers of people from villages into urban centers such as Makurdi and Gboko, significantly increasing demand for housing and pushing rents to unaffordable levels.
“80% of Benue people can’t afford the recent house rent rates in Makurdi, Gboko,” the post stated, emphasizing that the situation disproportionately affects the common man amid limited job opportunities and stagnant incomes.
The advocate praised Governor Alia’s ongoing efforts to revive “dead companies,” reopen shuttered industries, and establish new ones to create employment for ordinary citizens. However, the appeal stressed that without intervention on housing costs, many residents—especially low- and middle-income earners—will continue to face hardship despite these broader economic initiatives.
The submission reflects growing public concern over the housing affordability crisis in Benue’s urban areas, where rapid rural-urban migration fueled by insecurity has outpaced supply and driven up rental prices. Calls for rent control or regulatory measures have surfaced periodically in the past, often citing the 1977 law as a framework for possible government action.
As the state government continues to prioritize security, infrastructure, and job creation, the appeal now places housing affordability firmly on the public discourse agenda, with residents awaiting the governor’s response to the formal request.
