Tombo Development Association Clashes with Benue State Government Over Buruku Bridge Compensation

A heated dispute has erupted between the Tombo Development Association (TDA) and the Benue State Government over compensation for residents affected by the Buruku Bridge project on the N803 route.

The TDA, led by Dr. Philip Akor Andiir Gur, has accused the government of breaching an earlier agreement and attempting to shortchange affected communities. According to the association, an environmentalist was granted power of attorney to assess structures and farms slated for demolition under the project’s Right of Way, resulting in an agreed N803 million compensation package. However, the group claims the government, which had previously approved over a billion naira for the project, is now reneging on the deal.

The controversy intensified as the Director of Civil Engineering in the Benue State Ministry of Works, Engr. Tivfa Wombo, allegedly refused to release the funds to the TDA. Instead, reports suggest he attempted to make direct payments to claimants using a revised schedule with significantly lower values.

In response, the Tombo Development Association has served a pre-action notice, threatening legal action. Community members have voiced strong frustration over the delays and perceived lack of transparency. One resident, identified simply as Iyorwase, accused the state government of “playing games with us.”

Mr. Mike Mnenge, whose property was affected, lamented the prolonged wait for compensation. “If I were paid, I would have built a new house for my family,” he said. “It appears people in government are not bothered with our plight.”

The disagreement has raised broader concerns about government accountability and transparency in infrastructure projects, particularly in conflict-prone areas of Benue State already grappling with displacement, communal clashes, and food insecurity. Efforts to obtain comments from the Director of Civil Engineering were unsuccessful.