Benue state Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has declared that Benue land belongs to its people and cannot be taken over by suspected armed herdsmen.

Governor expressed grief over the attack on the Efeyi community in Ugboju by suspected armed herders in the early hours of today.

Alia said the bandits must pay for their crime against the peaceful people of the state.

The Governor, however, commended the Benue State Police Command under Commissioner of Police, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu for their quick response, which resulted in the neutralization of two armed bandits in the area suspected to have taken part in the unfortunate incident.

The governor’s Chief Press Secretary,
Sir Tersoo Kula, in a statement confirmed that scores of persons were murdered, with many others sustaining various degrees of injury, “as suspected armed herdsmen launched yet another attack on the Efeyi community in Ugboju district of Otukpo local government area of the State”

The statement explained that following reports of the incident, men of the Benue State Police Command deployed their men to trace the armed bandits.

According the statement, the fire exchange occurred as the police closed in on the bandits, and, two of the bandits who were apparently manned to provide cover for the others to escape got neutralised.

The Governor said his administration will continue to support the security agencies to ensure those who attack the state were spoken to in the language they understand.

“Benue land is for Benue people. Those who think they can come and push the people away and takeover should think twice.

“Our people are peaceful, hardworking and peaceful. I was elected to protect them, and I must do everything legitimately possible to ensure my people are protected, and our land is secured”.l the statement said.

Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, has sacked Dr. Ibrahim Tanko of his appointment as Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism. He represents Keffi Local Government Area in the State Executive Council.

The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Labaran Shuaibu Magaji, made this known while briefing Government House Correspondents after a meeting of the State Executive Council in Lafia.

According to him, the decision was part of the efforts to reposition the present administration for the delivery of its remaining mandates ahead of the end of tenure in 2027.

Magaji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, also announced that five other Commissioners namely, Barrister Hauwa Samuel Jugbo, Women Affairs and Social Development; CP Usman Baba (rtd), Security and Sundry Matters; Gabriel Agbashi, Science and Technology; Mu’azu Adamu Gosho, Works, Housing and Transport and Barrister David Sule Moyi, were also relieved of their appointments, in a minor reshuffle ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He expressed appreciation to the outgoing commissioners for their service to the government and people of the state, adding that replacements will be announced in due course.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced 26 new appointments into 10 Federal Government agencies and commissions, with former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, emerging as chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and Major General Junaid Bindawa as chairman of the National Salary and Wages Commission.

Fayose heads the board of REA, with Alhaji Ahmadu Abubakar and Engineer Ilyasu Ibrahim Makinta appointed as members and non-executive directors. The incumbent DG of the agency, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, and three executive directors previously appointed make up the remaining board members.

President Tinubu made eight other appointments to the Wages Commission, along with Maj General Bindawa. Former member of the House of Representatives from Lagos, Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas, is the new secretary of the commission. Dr Ogbole Ene Lilian, Oladele Olatubosun, and Yakubu Umar Barde, representing Benue, Oyo and Kaduna, were appointed as commissioners.

Dr Mai Adamu Yau, from Borno, Ginika Florence Tor (Enugu), Engineer Lawrence Okoh(Edo) and Bello Morenike Iyabode (Kogi) were appointed as members of the Commission.

Tosin Johnson Adeyanju, who was previously appointed as the Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF), has now been moved to the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission as Secretary.

President Tinubu also appointed Dr Abuh Mohammed as Director-General of the National Population Commission, Dr Akinola Odeyemi as Managing Director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET), and Dr Anthony Inalegwu Godwin as chairman/CEO of the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission. Engineer Julius Oloro, a former council chairman, is the new CEO of the Kwara-based National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation(NCAM), replacing Dr A.R. Kamal, who died last January.

President Tinubu constituted the board of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, with Dr Abdullahi Maikano Saidu as chairman. The board members include Mohammed Asmau, Mohammed Aliyu Makama, Dr Suleiman Gidado, Louis O. Ndukwe, Amaechi Ugwele and Olaniyi Idowu Onikola.

Shuni Muhammad Dahiru is the new executive secretary of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education, replacing Professor Shu’aibu Shehu Aliyu, who was reassigned to the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) in April.

To replace Mathias Byuan, the former executive director, finance of the Federal Housing Authority, who resigned to contest the governorship election in Benue, President Tinubu named Gisaor Vincent Iorja. Iorja is an economist, legal scholar, and academic currently serving as the secretary of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC).

All the appointments take immediate effect.

Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President,
(Information and Strategy)
July 20, 2026