Ortom Alleges Witch-hunt as Court Orders Return of 23 Vehicles Seized by Alia

Samuel Ortom, who previously governed Benue State, has come forward with allegations against his successor, Governor Hyacinth Alia, claiming Alia unlawfully confiscated 23 official vehicles that were rightfully assigned to him by the state administration. During an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Tuesday, September 8, Ortom disclosed that he initiated legal action against the seizure and emerged victorious. The court subsequently mandated the Benue State government to not only return the vehicles but also compensate him with N5 million in damages.

The former governor further asserted that this action by the Alia administration was a component of a broader 'witch-hunt' targeting political rivals. Ortom quoted, stating, 'After I ceased to be governor, vehicles legitimately assigned to me by the government were impounded by this administration [Alia's] in an undignified manner.' He added, 'There was no official communication. I pursued legal recourse, and we prevailed against the government. They were ordered to remit N5 million in addition to restoring the 23 vehicles that were confiscated from me, which were legitimately provided by the government.'

Beyond the vehicle dispute, Ortom also criticized the Alia government for excluding key stakeholders from state governance, noting that no meetings involving political parties had been convened since Governor Alia took office. Additionally, Ortom claimed that Governor Alia recently issued directives to traditional leaders, instructing them not to welcome him during a visit to his kinsmen, where he intended to discuss his wife’s senatorial aspirations.

Finally, the former Benue helmsman pointed out that local government chairmen in the state are still awaiting full control over their allocated funds, notwithstanding the Supreme Court’s definitive ruling on financial autonomy for local government councils.