Benue governor denies ordering aides to beat up lady in church

A young lady, Blessing Idoko, was said to have been beaten to pulp by Governor Samuel Ortom’s security attaché at the Mercy Land Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Makurdi, during a church service today, October  16.

Dailypost reports that the governor was said to have worshiped at the church today. 
And when Idoko saw the governor, he allegedly approached him and “implored him to have mercy on the poor people in the state, particularly civil servants, including her mother.” This was said to have angered the governor who signaled his security details to take her away from his presence. The security men reportedly pounced on her, shoving and slapping her as the governor walked away.

But when the chief press secretary to the governor, Terver Akase, was contacted, he said nothing like that happened during the visit of the governor to the church. He referred to the story as a calculated attempt to tarnish the image of the governor. In his words:

 “I saw the facebook post and went outside the church to investigate and I discovered that the incident did not take place in the entire time that the Governor and his entourage spent during the thanksgiving service. I asked every security person on duty within the church premises including those who accompanied the Governor.

I also inquired from other people who were outside the church who might have seen the reported beating but no one could confirm the incident. If anything took place as reported, then such an incident occurred some hours before the Governor arrived, in which case, he cannot be blamed. Governor Ortom did not order the beating or harassment of anyone at the church.”