•Benue State governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia
One person has reportedly been killed in a crash involving Governor Hyacinth Alia’s convoy at Ihugh town in Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State.
Locals told our correspondent over the phone that two separate accidents occurred yesterday near Ihugh market in Vandeikya, the hometown of Governor Alia, reports Daily Trust.
The locals said that the first incident happened as the governor traveled to his community for the Christmas holidays, with a vehicle in his convoy allegedly striking and killing a man.
They added that on the return trip to Makurdi, another accident involving a vehicle on the governor’s convoy occurred in the same Ihugh area, alleging that some people were injured.
But Solomon Iorpev, Technical Adviser on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communication to Governor Alia, refuted claims of a fatality involving his principal’s convoy, stressing that no one was killed.
“Governor Alia’s convoy did not kill a man. His convoy had already gone to the church. What happened was a vehicle that went on a mission somewhere and was on its way back. It wasn’t on the convoy. It was a single vehicle. There was no accident of the convoy anywhere.
“For instance, there are 17 cars on the governor’s convoy and about 15 had already gone ahead. One of the cars which went on a mission was coming back and had an accident. Was that a convoy?. It (accident) even happened in the night because of the dusty road and the driver didn’t see another vehicle coming ahead of him. That’s all,” the technical adviser posited.
SP Catherine Anene, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Benue Command, did not respond to calls put through her telephone to confirm the incident.
