‘You Raped Us’ — Gov Alia Defends Seizure Of ’20 Luxury Cars’ From Ex-Gov Ortom

The Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has defended the decision of the Assets Recovery Committee of his administration to seize some vehicles his predecessor, Samuel Ortom.

Governor Alia said that the committee was acting in accordance with the law and in the interest of the people of Benue State.

He accused the former governor of presiding over a regime that plundered and mismanaged the state’s resources.

“We witnessed a regime that supervised broad-day robbery and rape of our common patrimony,” said Alia, who spoke via his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Tersoo Kula, in response to Ortom’s media aide’s allegation that the new administration was harassing and witch-hunting his principal.

According to Kula, the Alia administration is determined to recover all the assets that were illegally acquired or diverted by the previous administration, urging the people of Benue State to support his principal’s efforts to restore accountability and transparency in governance.

“The discovery and recovery of numerous vehicles at a private building within the state capital by the committee, is an indication that they have truly swung into action.

“In fact, all patriotic Benue citizens should be happy, and must commend the Committee for daring to carry out the assignment given to them by the government without fear or favour,” Kula said.

He added, “The discovery and recovery of numerous vehicles at a private building within the state capital by the committee, is an indication that they have truly swung into action.

“But one thing is sure. Benue people were surprised to see the number of cars recovered at a property belonging to someone they once held in trust.

“We witnessed a regime that supervised broad-day robbery and rape of our common patrimony. Let it be made abundantly clear that the old order is gone, and gone for good.

“The good thing is that the discovery and retrieval of more Benue assets currently in the wrong hands, will provide the right ground for accountability in the Alia led administration in the state,”he said.

According to earlier reports, the Assets Recovery Committee raided a private automobile workshop company and recovered over 20 exotic cars from it.

Meanwhile, members of Ortom’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Benue State House of Assembly on Wednesday paid a solidarity visit to the former over the seizure of the vehicles.

The lawmakers led by Michael Audu, the member representing Adoka-Ugboju State Constituency, affirmed their loyalty to the former governor during the visit.

“Your Excellency, we are here to reaffirm our loyalty to you as our leader. Any attack on you is an attack on all of us PDP members in the State Assembly, and we will not fold our arms to watch this impunity continue,” said Audu.