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Fresh controversy has engulfed Benue State following the death of the Head of Service, Dr. Moses Agbogbo Ode, with strong allegations that Governor Hyacinth Alia has shown indifference toward the late top civil servant and his family.
According to widespread claims circulating on social media, Governor Alia has refused to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late Dr. Ode, more than two weeks after his passing. Critics argue that this lack of personal engagement fails to honour the memory of the state’s number one civil servant.
Further allegations suggest that the governor also declined to approve funds for the late Head of Service to seek medical treatment abroad. Instead, Dr. Ode was reportedly persuaded to leave a private hospital where he was responding to treatment and transferred to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), where he later died unattended to.
Tensions have heightened over arrangements for the burial, described as a state burial. A comment by Gillah Tersugh alleged that staff of the Head of Service establishment are now being tasked to contribute 20,000 naira each to cover burial expenses, with emphasis placed on the official nature of the ceremony.
Some voices from the Igede ethnic group, to which the late Dr. Ode belonged, are urging Governor Alia to console the people by appointing another Igede indigene as the new Head of Service. They are calling for the promotion of a qualified Igede person to the rank of Permanent Secretary, followed by appointment as Head of Service.
The death of Dr. Moses Agbogbo Ode, which occurred on May 2, 2026, after a brief illness, was officially announced by the Benue State Government, with Governor Alia issuing a condolence message describing the late official as a dedicated public servant who contributed significantly to civil service reforms.
However, the emerging allegations of insensitivity and alleged interference in his medical care have sparked outrage, particularly among civil servants and the Igede community. As the state prepares for the burial, many are watching to see how the government handles the situation and addresses calls for a replacement from the same ethnic extraction.
The developments have once again thrown the spotlight on Governor Alia’s relationship with the state’s civil service and different ethnic groups in Benue. Further updates are expected as burial arrangements progress and reactions continue to pour in.
