Ex-Gov Ortom To Face Benue Probe Panel Next Week

The judicial commissions of inquiry set up by the Benue State Government to look into the activities of ex-Governor Samuel Ortom while in office are now set to quiz him and his aides.

Recall that Governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia had on February 26, 2024, inaugurated the two judicial commissions of inquiry to look into the activities of his predecessor, Ortom.

One of the Commissions will look into the Income and Expenditure of Benue State Government from May 29, 2015, to May 28, 2023.

The other would look at the Sale/Lease of Government Assets, Companies and Markets (both state and local government-owned markets), as well as moribund companies from or before May 28, 2015, to May 28, 2023.

The two commissions of Inquiry comprise 16 members with their chairmen drawn from the South-West and North-East.

They are retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo from South-West who will chair the former and Justice Appolos Idi (retd) from Gombe, North-East will preside over the latter commission.

The two judicial commissions of inquiry are, among others, to identify the income of the Benue State Government from May 28, 2023, 2015, to May 29, 2023.

They are to look into the expenditure and utilisation of the Benue State income from 29 of May 2015, to day 28 of May 2023.

They will also identify all the Benue State bank accounts and examine the propriety or otherwise of the transactions in the accounts from day 29 of May 2015 to the day 28 of May 2023.

Furthermore, they will identify the various loans taken by the Benue State Government from May 29, 2015, to May 28, 2023, and ascertain the appropriateness of the utilisation, interest charge on the loans and the possible abuses thereof.

The probe panels will equally identify the loan(s) given out by the Benue State Government, the alleged waiver, and the possible abuses thereof.

Finally, the panels will identify the special interventions, including but not limited to the Bailout Funds, Paris Club Refunds received by the Benue State Government from May 29, 2015, to May 28, 2023, and the application thereof.