Babatunji Wusu –
- Attorney General reinstated: Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has reinstated the Attorney General, Mr. Fidelis Mnyim, after his suspension.
- Suspension reason: Mnyim was suspended on October 23 for including Benue State in a lawsuit challenging the legality of the EFCC and ICPC.
- Conditions for reinstatement: Mnyim’s reinstatement followed his formal withdrawal of Benue from the lawsuit.
- Council approvals: The state executive council approved several initiatives, including N30.2 billion for rural road construction and N567 million for land compensation.
- Other resolutions: The council also approved the domestication of the Disability Act, a donation to the Nigerian Legion, and the establishment of a new advertising agency.
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has officially reinstated the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Mr. Fidelis Mnyim, following his suspension in late October. The announcement was made during a state executive council meeting in Makurdi on Monday.
Mnyim had been suspended on October 23 for what the state government described as a “unilateral decision” to include Benue State in a lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Speaking after the council meeting, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, confirmed the Attorney General’s reinstatement. Kula stated that the reinstatement followed Mnyim’s full compliance with the government’s conditions, including his formal withdrawal of Benue from the list of states challenging the legality of the laws that established the EFCC and ICPC.
In addition to this development, the state executive council approved several significant measures during the meeting. N30.2 billion was earmarked for rural road construction, representing 60% of the total cost, covering five key roads across the state’s three senatorial zones. These include the Awajir/Oju, Adikpo/Kotiyo/Vandeikya, Ushongo/Har, Igwumale/Agila, and Obagaji/Okokolo/Agagbe roads.
Further, the council approved a compensation package of N567 million for the Mbagwa and Mbawa communities in Makurdi Local Government for land required for a federal housing project.
Other resolutions included the domestication of the Disability Act in Benue to support persons with disabilities, a N10 million donation to the Nigerian Legion for this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day, and the establishment of the Benue State Signage and Advertisement Agency to regulate billboards and signage across the state.
