By Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, and the Centre for Judicial Integrity (CJI) are at odds over allegations that the state government allocated N500 million to bribe the National Judicial Commission (NJC) in a bid to influence the removal of the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpambese.
CJI convener, Solomon Adodo, accused state officials of making multiple trips to Abuja in an attempt to sway NJC proceedings. He urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the alleged bribery.
Adodo further linked the ongoing judiciary workers’ strike—since December 2024—to the government’s failure to implement a new N75,000 minimum wage for judicial staff. He argued that, instead of ensuring judicial independence, Governor Alia’s administration had allowed the state’s judiciary to remain paralyzed.
However, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically motivated. He challenged CJI to provide evidence, warning that making unsubstantiated claims only damages public trust.
“There is no unrest in Benue State. Governor Alia is in full control, ensuring transparency, accountability, and good governance,” Kula stated. He accused CJI of being influenced by political operatives attempting to destabilize the state.
CJI urged anti-corruption agencies to conduct a thorough probe into the alleged misappropriation of funds while also calling on the NJC to resist external interference and uphold judicial integrity.
The controversy underscores growing tensions between the Benue State Government and critics over judicial independence and governance in the state.
