The Benue State government asset recovery committee set up by Hyacinth Alia, the state governor, has raided an automobile shop allegedly owned by Samuel Ortom, the former governor.
Alia had accused Ortom’s administration of looting, alleging that he “met no single car or truck in government house”.
The committee was said to have seized some vehicles during the operation and used towing vans to pull out others, after attempts to drive them away failed.
Reacting in a statement, Bemgba Iortyom, PDP state publicity secretary, described the committee’s outing as “a shameful show of naked tyranny and impunity”.
He also said the shop is a private automobile workshop owned by the former governor’s business concern, Oracle Nigeria Limited.
“Staff of the workshop have confirmed to PDP that the vehicles, of a yet to be ascertained number, were those brought there for repairs by private owners and are not in any wise from any public source,” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement condemning the raid, Terver Akase, Ortom’s spokesperson, contradicted Iortyom by saying the shop raided was a commercial workshop operated by London Lines Transport Limited.
“We are shocked beyond belief at the development which smacks of lawlessness,” the statement reads.
