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A Benue-based human rights advocate and prominent social media voice, D. Naked Elder Zege Orkwande, has taken direct action to provide immediate relief to students left homeless and injured following the state government’s demolition of a multi-storey rental apartment building last week.
The property, owned by KYABIZIG NIG LIMITED and constructed on land designated as government property, was demolished by authorities operating through the Benue Investment Property and Control Commission (BIPCC). Although the exercise had originally been slated for November 2025 and later deferred to March 2026 to give tenants time to vacate, many occupants—including dozens of university students—remained in the building. Several had paid rent as recently as December 2025, only to face sudden displacement when bulldozers arrived without further warning.
The operation reportedly caused chaos: several students sustained injuries during the eviction, and a significant amount of personal belongings, study materials, and household items were destroyed or lost in the process. With the academic session resuming soon, the affected students found themselves without shelter, medical attention, or means to immediately replace essential items.
Stepping into the breach, Orkwande personally responded to the crisis by attending to 22 of the displaced students. He arranged and funded emergency medical care for the injured, secured temporary accommodation, and provided meals to ensure their immediate welfare was not compromised. His swift intervention drew widespread appreciation on social media, where the demolition and its aftermath had already generated significant public outcry.
In response to the growing online pressure, Mrs. KYABIZ—the principal figure associated with the property’s ownership—publicly reached out, committing to refund rent payments to the affected tenants and, where feasible, assist in arranging alternative housing.
A legal notice has since been served on KYABIZIG NIG LIMITED demanding ₦3 million in compensation for the losses and hardship inflicted on the students. As of the latest update, no formal response has been received from the company.
Orkwande, working alongside his volunteer team known as the “Aluta Comrades,” continues to explore longer-term solutions to ensure the students receive full support and are not left to bear the consequences of the demolition alone. “We volunteer to stand for the affected students,” Orkwande stated, stressing the critical need for urgent intervention as classes resume and academic activities intensify.
The incident has reignited debate in Benue over urban planning enforcement, tenant rights, government-land encroachments, and the human cost of abrupt demolitions—particularly when students and vulnerable renters are involved. For now, thanks to the rapid response of civil society actors like Orkwande, at least 22 young scholars have received a vital lifeline amid an otherwise distressing situation.
