Preparations for the Idoma Centenary Plus Celebration gained momentum in Abuja as the Board of Trustees held its inaugural meeting, laying the groundwork for a year-long programme marking a century of shared history and identity.
The meeting, chaired by Prof. Yakubu Ochefu with Chief Emmanuel Ogbile as co-chair, followed the formal inauguration of the board by the Ochi’Idoma on January 24, 2026.
The celebration commemorates the 1923 establishment of the Idoma Division, a defining administrative milestone for the Idoma, Igede, Ufia, and Akweya peoples of present-day Benue South.
Organisers described the event, themed “Honouring Our Century, Forging Our Future,” as a strategic platform for cultural renewal, policy engagement, youth empowerment, and diaspora mobilisation.
Scheduled to run from March to December 2026, the programme will feature an academic and policy summit, innovation and youth showcases, women-focused initiatives, cultural festivals, and inter-local government sports competitions.
A grand finale will crown the celebration, featuring interfaith prayers, cultural durbar, awards, and the launch of legacy institutions including a digital museum, leadership academy, hall of fame, and scholarship and innovation fund.
The board constituted 10 sub-committees to drive implementation across key sectors and affirmed the participation of traditional institutions, development associations, diaspora groups, professional bodies, and civil society organisations.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Ochefu emphasised the need for timely planning, noting that the centenary-plus celebration must reflect both the historical depth and future aspirations of the Idoma people.
Media Contact: Media and Publicity Committee Idoma Centenary Plus Celebration Email: media@idomacentenary.org
As Benue State marks 50 years since its creation, the apex socio-cultural organisation of the Idoma people worldwide, Ochetoha K’Idoma, joins the Golden Jubilee celebrations with warm congratulations—but also with a firm call for reflection on what it describes as a deep and persistent imbalance in the state’s political life.
Speaking for the organisation, its President-General, Yakubu Aboki Ochefu, says the anniversary is both symbolic and instructive. While acknowledging the progress recorded over five decades, he argues that the state’s political history reveals a pattern of exclusion that continues to sideline Benue South Senatorial District from the highest levels of power.
Ochefu recalls that Benue State comes into existence on February 3, 1976, under the military administration of the late Murtala Muhammed, following earlier political arrangements that place Idoma land within the former Northern Region and later Benue-Plateau State. Long before these administrative constructs, he says, the Idoma people occupy the fertile Benue Valley for centuries, sustaining a distinct identity while maintaining a reputation for resilience, hospitality, and peaceful coexistence.
Map of Benue State @50
He says the Idoma experience within Nigeria is defined by consistent national service. Despite being a numerical minority, Idoma sons and daughters, according to him, have left enduring footprints across governance, the civil service, the military, academia, culture, sports, and faith. From the early post-independence years to the present, their influence cuts across generations. Ochefu cites Dr. Edwin Ogbu, who becomes the first indigene of Benue State to serve as a Federal Permanent Secretary in 1966, and Abu Obe, who later rises to Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, as early markers of that contribution.
In legislative politics, he notes that Idoma land produces two Presidents of the Senate—Ameh Ebute and David Mark. Mark’s eight-year tenure, spanning four consecutive terms, remains the longest in Nigeria’s democratic history and, Ochefu says, firmly places the Idoma nation at the centre of national leadership. He also points to the national roles played by Audu Ogbeh, former Minister of Agriculture and ex-national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, as well as Senator Abba Moro and the late Professor Jerry Agada, all of whom serve at ministerial level.
Beyond politics, Ochefu says the Idoma presence remains deeply woven into Nigeria’s security architecture. From participation in the Second World War and the Nigerian Civil War to leadership at the highest levels of the armed forces, Idoma officers continue to play defining roles. He references the late Ebije Ikwe, who serves as Chief of Air Staff between 1967 and 1975, as well as several Idoma military governors who administer states across the federation.
In education and culture, Ochefu says the Idoma people produce Benue State’s first university graduate as far back as 1954 and go on to contribute professors, vice-chancellors, and national policy thinkers whose work shapes Nigeria’s intellectual and professional landscape. He also highlights the global reach of Idoma creativity, pointing to the late Bongos Ikwue, whose genre-blending sound defines an era, and Afrobeats icon 2Baba, whose music projects Nigerian identity to international audiences.
Yet, Ochefu says, this long record of contribution stands in stark contrast to the political reality within Benue State itself. In 50 years, he notes, Benue South has never produced a governor or a speaker of the State House of Assembly, has produced only one Chief Judge, and has never produced a Vice-Chancellor of Benue State University. He describes the pattern as structural rather than accidental, warning that prolonged exclusion erodes trust, weakens cohesion, and contradicts the ideals of unity on which the state is built.
On development, Ochefu acknowledges the presence of key federal institutions in Idoma land, including the Federal University of Health Sciences in Otukpo, but says sustained industrial investment remains largely absent since the administration of former Governor Aper Aku. He argues that without deliberate investment in infrastructure, agriculture, solid minerals, and youth-driven enterprise, the economic potential of Benue South will remain unrealised.
He also commends Elaigwu Odogbo Obagaji John, the Och’Idoma V and Paramount Ruler of the Idoma Nation, for providing steady leadership and promoting peace and unity across Idoma land amid growing social and security challenges.
Looking ahead, Ochefu says the next phase of Benue State’s history must be defined by inclusion, balance, and fairness. The aspiration for an Idoma governor, he stresses, should not be framed as a request for concession but recognised as a legitimate democratic expectation in a state that claims unity as a foundational value.
Only through equity, mutual respect, and intentional inclusion, he concludes, can Benue State fully harness its diversity and build a future that delivers shared prosperity for all its people.
Otukpo, Benue State — The apex socio-cultural organisation of the Idoma Nation, Ochetoha K’Idoma, has called for immediate and decisive military action following a deadly attack on Akpa-Otobi community and neighbouring settlements in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, 14 January 2026, left four people dead, including a former Local Government Councillor and a serving member of the Nigerian Armed Forces who was home on leave.
According to an Emergency Situation Report issued by the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPG), Benue South Headquarters, suspected armed herdsmen and kidnappers stormed the community and opened fire indiscriminately at a local provision shop.
Security sources said the attackers were reportedly searching for food and supplies to sustain victims held captive in nearby forests.
The killings have sparked renewed outrage across Idoma communities, with Ochetoha K’Idoma describing the incident as part of a sustained and coordinated campaign of violence against the people of Benue South.
In a statement signed by its President-General, Professor Yakubu A. Ochefu, the organisation said the murder of a serving soldier on home soil underscored what it described as a deepening collapse of security and state authority in the area.
“This is no longer an isolated incident,” the group said, pointing to a similar attack in the same axis last year. According to the statement, repeated assaults have effectively hampered farming and trading activities, leaving rural communities unable to harvest crops or transport goods to markets.
Ochetoha K’Idoma warned that the violence now amounts to more than random criminality, describing it as an attempt to economically strangulate and forcibly displace Idoma communities from their ancestral lands through fear, hunger, and insecurity.
While reaffirming its commitment to Nigeria’s unity and constitutional order, the group expressed concern that the state’s inability to protect lives and property was eroding public trust and pushing communities toward desperation.
The organisation acknowledged the response of security agencies following the latest attack but insisted that reactive deployments were no longer sufficient.
It called for a comprehensive and proactive security strategy, including immediate aerial and ground operations to flush out criminal elements from surrounding forests.
Ochetoha K’Idoma specifically identified a security corridor stretching from the abandoned Otobi Irrigation Project through Efu’Ogwanokwu in Ohimini Local Government Area, Otukpo-Nobi, and extending to Raav in Gwer Local Government Area, describing it as a known sanctuary for kidnappers and armed groups.
The group also demanded the establishment of permanent security outposts at strategic entry and exit points to prevent armed groups from using forested areas as operational bases.
Despite the rising insecurity, Ochetoha K’Idoma said the Idoma people would not be intimidated or displaced, insisting on justice for the victims and the restoration of peace in the area.
The organisation said it remained open to constructive engagement with the federal and state governments, as well as security agencies, to achieve lasting security and stability in Benue South.
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has assured that outstanding pensions and gratuities for retired civil servants accrued between 2023 and 2025 will be fully cleared by the end of January 2026.
The announcement was made in a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Tersoo Kula, in Makurdi.
Alia emphasized that his administration has consistently prioritized the welfare of civil servants, ensuring regular payment of salaries, pensions, and gratuities since he assumed office.
He stated that while priority was initially given to approved arrears, steps are now being taken to ensure all retirees within his tenure receive their entitlements promptly.
“For those within the last two and a half years who have not received their gratuities, they will receive them in a matter of days,” he said, adding that other pension and salary arrears will continue to be settled based on available funds.
The governor also addressed the ongoing national strike by resident doctors, urging dialogue and negotiation.
He acknowledged that some grievances may stem from unfulfilled commitments by previous administrations but stressed the humanitarian risks posed by disruptions in medical services.
Alia commended health workers for their dedication and expressed confidence that the strike would soon be resolved, noting the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to address the issues.
The Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC) on Wednesday test-ran its juice factory known as Benfruits Juice Industry and is ready for commercial fruit juice.
The sweet, fresh and additive-free juice was produced during the test run.
Those who tasted the juice described it as natural and one of the best that they have taken.
BIPC Group Managing Director (GMD), Dr Raymond Asemakaha, told newsmen shortly after the test run that the juice was produced purely from Benue oranges.
Asemakaha stated that when the factory becomes fully operational, no Benue oranges would leave the state in large quantities.
GMD pointed out that orange farmers would not only get a market for their products but full value as well.
He said that the factory would also create many jobs for Benue people.
“This is the juice produced from our Benue oranges. From these same oranges we will produce oil, and the chaffs will be used for organic fertiliser. There is no waste here.
“After this test running, we will check the whole process again and make sure that everywhere is set for takeoff.
“We are going to do something that has not been done before in this state. Just give Gov. Hyacinth Alia six more years, and our yams, mangoes and oranges will never waste again. Our farmers will have full value for their products,” he said.
He recalled that BIPC took over the management of the state-owned juice processing factory in July.
According to him, the company was dormant for over 20 years, and BIPC, upon takeover, engaged Sono Company, experts in juice production in the world, to revive the industry.
The factory’s Plant Engineer, Mr Henry Boager, said the factory has the capacity to produce four metric tonnes of juice per hour.
Boager boasted that they have a competent technical team to handle the factory machines for optimal results.
He assured the people that post-harvest losses would be minimised and farmers would get real value for their produce.
The Speaker, Benue House of Assembly, Hyacinth Dajoh, has said that the lawmakers are not saboteurs but representatives of their people, who desire the success of the executive for the good of the state.
Dajoh spoke in Makurdi at the inauguration of a new executive/appeal fund for an administrative office for the Association of Emcees (ABE), Benue Chapter, says the assembly desires the success of the executive for the good of the state..
It would be recalled that the state assembly recently resolved not to honour correspondence from the executive until the assembly’s demands were met.
The lawmakers said that the executive had “flagrantly refused to obey the Assembly’s resolutions”, hence declined the screening of the commissioner nominees.
But the speaker, represented at the event by Mr Douglas Akya, representing Makurdi South State Constituency, said that their actions were always guided by responsible representation and meant for the good of the state.
“Whatever decision the assembly takes is not that we are fighting the governor or the executive.
“What we are doing is to support the governor to succeed and leave lasting legacies.
“All we do and say is to support him. We are not fighting; we are not saboteurs,” he said.
The speaker lauded ABE for electing credible officials to lead the association.
The Chairman of the occasion, Mr Cephas Dyako, who is the Minority Chief Whip of the Assembly, lauded the members of the association for coming under one umbrella to coordinate their activities.
Dyako promised to support the association to achieve its targets.
The Wife of the Speaker, Mrs Cynthia Dajoh, commended ABE members for their unity and professionalism.
Dajoh promised to furnish the ABE secretariat, whenever it was ready for use.
Chief Solomon Iorpev, the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communication, who was the guest speaker at the event, spoke on “Building a Successful Brand as an MC”.
Iorpev listed some tips that make a successful master of ceremony and advised the ABE members to be properly guided by the best standard protocol rules.
The Speaker of the new ABE executive, Mr Terver Adom, commended Gov. Hyacinth Alia for gradually changing the narratives of Benue.
Adom said that the state had witnessed an unprecedented development in the last two years that Alia mounted the saddle.
The Police Command in Benue has confirmed the arrest of 176 suspects for allegedly committing various crimes in July.
Mr Ifeanyi Emenari, Commissioner of Police (CP), Benue Command, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press conference in Makurdi.
Emenari said that the suspects were arrested for cult activities, armed robbery, banditry, theft and culpable homicide, among others.
The CP said that out of the 176, 22 were arrested for alleged cultism, 26 for alleged armed robbery, while others were for other various offences.
He also stated that the command within the said period recovered 30 different types of arms, 4000 different types of ammunition, 8 motorcycles, one tricycle and two vehicles from the criminals.
Emenari explained further that some of the arms recovered included four rocket launchers, 12 AK-47s, 11 locally made pistols, and four locally fabricated rifles, among others.
The CP added that the command, in collaboration with other security agencies, has successfully destroyed all the bandits camps in Benue.
He pointed out that with the destruction of the bandits camps, many locals have returned to their ancestral homes and farms in most parts of the state.
Emenari said that criminals committing all kinds of atrocities and hiding under cover of bandits would be arrested and prosecuted.
The CP announced that he has relocated the area commander overseeing Otukpo axis to Agatu with strict orders to apprehend all criminals terrorising the area.
According to him, the command is conducting series of operations and raids in Sankara axis to ensure that all the bandits and other criminal elements terrorising the area are apprehended.
“A large number of bandits have been repelled from these areas, while some were neutralised in the course of these operations.
“It is important at this point to mention that some police officers lost their lives during these operations.
“While we commiserate with their friends and families, we remain committed to this course, as our dear state cannot be left in the hands of criminals.
“Our desire is to provide security to all Benue residents, and the command under my watch in the month of July has been able to reduce crime to the barest minimum and will continue to ensure that the state is crime-free.
“Measures put in place during the period under review include planned operations in the hinterlands to raid communities of bandits, patrols within the metropolis, intelligence gathering for proactive policing, raids of black spots and stop and search operations,” he said.
In an abrupt move, taking sector watchers by surprise, the Benue Government has approved the immediate dissolution of all boards of sports associations in the State Sports Council.
Benue Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Creativity, Terkimbi Ikyange, gave the approval on Monday in Makurdi.
The commissioner, in a statement by the acting Director of Sports, Anthony Torbunde, noted that the dissolution had become expedient.
He explained that the decision was to enable the council align with the subsequent National Sports Commission/Federation elective congress timelines.
“The management of the sports council wishes to thank all the chairmen and members of the various sports associations for their enormous contributions towards the sustenance of their various sports.
“The job of developing sports in the state is the responsibility of all stakeholders in the sector.
“All former board members should remain resolute and ready to serve the state at all times in whatever capacity,” he said.
Ochetoha K’Idoma, the umbrella union of all Idoma sociocultural organisations has elected Economic Historian, Professor Yakubu Ochefu as its national President.
At an election held in Otukpo, Benue State on Saturday, the Forum also elected Chief Paul Edeh, as the General Secretary.
While Professor Ochefu is the immediate past Secretary of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Chief Edeh is the serving Chairman of Benue State Football Association (BSFA).
Professor Ochefu, former Vice Chancellor, Kwararafa University, Wukari is also the current National Chairman, Association of Nigeria Universities Alumni.
In a communiqué released at the end of its 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Forum also condemned the escalating security threats, including herdsmen attacks and kidnappings, which have negative impacted agricultural activities and instilled fear in communities, including Otukpo.
It called for unified community action, enhanced local intelligence, and urgent government intervention to safeguard Idoma lives and territories.
In the 11-point communique, Ochetoha K’Idoma pledged allegiance to the Och’Idoma, promising that the new EXCO “shall maintain a harmonious working relationship with His Royal Majesty.”
The body observed that such harmonious relationship would help to “foster the rapid development of the Idoma Nation.”
Another focal issue addressed in the communique was unity among the Idomas and need for funding support for ongoing development projects in Idoma land.
(L-R) Prof Ochefu and other members of EXCO
The others are, Dr. Echeofu Agada, Public Relations Officer; Mr. Sam Edache, Auditor; Johnson Victor Eche, Legal Adviser and AVM Toni Adokwu (rtd.), Ex-Officio.
Other members of the 10-member Executive Committee include: Emmanuel Anebi Ongaji – Assistant Secretary General, Mr. Otse David Egegwu, Financial Secretary and Mr. Ada Obande, Treasurer.
The National Judicial Council has stated that Justice Maurice Ikpambese remains the Chief Judge of Benue.
This declaration is contained in a statement issued by Mrs Kemi Ogedengbe, Deputy Director of Information, NJC on Tuesday in Abuja.
“The attention of the NJC has been drawn to a certain media report to the effect that the Benue State House of Assembly has purportedly passed a Resolution recommending the removal of Justice Ikpambese as chief judge of Benue from office.
“Unfortunate as this development is, the council wishes to reiterate that there are clear and unambiguous provisions in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on discipline and appointment of judicial officers vested in the council, which clearly are not adhered to in the instant case.
“Although, the council had this morning received a petition against Ikpambese, that petition is yet to be investigated in line with the council’s investigation procedure and the principles of fair hearing,” the council declared.
The NJC added that as far as the council is concerned, until the complaint is investigated and deliberated upon by it, Justice Ikpambese remains the chief judge of Benue .
