- It’s Not True, It’s Wicked Imaginations…To Defame My Character, Says Commander
By Amos Aar
THE DEPUTY Commander of Operations, Benue State Community Volunteer Guards (BSCVG), Mr Solomon Ayooseh, has cried out over alleged molestation and threat to his life by the organisation’s Commander, Cpt Ayuma Ajobi (rtd).
In a petition addressed to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) and the Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly dated February 5, 2024, Ayooseh alleged that Cpt. Ajobi illegally seized his personal car with the sum of N1.5 million in cash as well as other belongings at gunpoint.
Mr Ayooseh alleged that Cpt. Ajobi threatened to shoot him if he did not comply with his order by leaving the Volunteer Guard’s headquarters, Makurdi.
The petition, written on behalf of Ayooseh by his solicitors; R. B. Ayilla and Partners (Splendor Chambers), and signed by Richard B. Ayilla, Esq., entitled: “Petition Of Acts Of Intimidation, Illegal Detention/Seizure Of Car And Illegal Dismissal Brought Against Cpt. Ayuma Ajobi (Rtd),” which gave a narrative of the allegation, reads:
“We are solicitors to Solomon Ayooseh, the Deputy Commander Operations, Benue State Volunteer Community Guards, Makurdi, Benue State (herein after called our client) and on his behalf and instructions we write you in the following:
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“Our client resumed work at his office situate [sic] at Guest House C, Government House, Makurdi on 5th January, 2024 as the Deputy Commander Operations, Benue State Community Volunteer Guards and was carrying out his legal duties as required by law and when he came to enter his car to go for break, the aforesaid Commander, Cpt. Ajobi Ayuma (rtd) intercepted him, ordered his subordinates to surround and halt his movement. About 15 officers of the Command acted in accordance with the above order, cocked their guns and pointed same at our client, while Ajobi who had pointed a pistol at the temple of our client’s head commanded him to surrender his car keys and move out of the premises of the Command headquarters.
“Our client who was scared of about 15 lethal weapons pointed at him surrendered the car keys to Ajobi Ayuma while he commanded our client to immediately leave the premises. Our client repeatedly requested to be allowed to collect movable properties in his car that was [sic] forcefully seized which included N1,5000.000.00, 15 unwashed personal clothes and car particulars in the car. This request was denied as our client was harshly told to move out or he shall be shot by Ayuma Ajobi. Our client left his car while hearing his Commander vociferously telling him that he shall be ruthlessly death with.
“Our client’s life is at risk of being snuff [sic] off by the trajectories of Ayuma Ajobi, whom he had sometime in November 2023 had used thugs in Adikpo town to harassed [sic], beat up and caused illegal incarceration of our client for 24 hours before Ter Kwande, Tor Tiv and other prominent citizens of the area mediated and he was released. The molestation, physical and physiological torture of our client at the instance of Ayuma Ajobi and his cohorts has rendered our client vulnerable and his life is not safe if he is allowed to continue with the unlawful acts.
“Consequent upon the foregoing, we crave your indulgence to use your good office to bring to justice Ayuma Ajobi on the indiscretions, illegalities and harmful handling of our client as aforesaid.
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“Thank you as we patiently await your response and action on issues laced in our correspondence, sir”.
Asked what must have triggered Cpt. Ajobi’s action, Ayooseh attributed it to power tussle. According to him (Ayooseh), the commander was anxious that he might take over from him now that governorship has rotated to Benue Zone A while Ajobi is from Benue Zone B.
The deputy commander further claimed that following his petition, the commander was arrested last Friday arrested and detained at the Police Zone 4 Headquarters, Makurdi.
When contacted, Cpt. Ajobi, however, denied the allegation, describing Ayooseh’s narrative as false, and described Ayooseh’s allegations as “wicked imaginations…to defame my character.”
In a phone interview with National Record last Friday evening, Ajobi denied all the allegations levelled against him by his second-in-command (2-i-c).
Ajobi who code-switched and code-mixed English and Tiv languages during the phone interaction said:
“He was my deputy commander. It was Ortom that gave all of us appointment. He appointed all of us. We were Ortom’s appointees. So, when Ortom’s tenure ended, naturally our appointments also terminated. Consequently, Security Adviser called us for a meeting and he told us that our appointments have been terminated; that we should stop work because they have nothing to do with the organization again.
“Being the commander, I’m yet to get somebody to hand over to. So, I’m working in acting capacity. The Security Adviser is the one supervising us. But some of them were to stop work pending when Governor Alia would decide my fate, whether to allow me continue or to appoint somebody to succeed me. So, those people stopped work.
“All of a sudden, about two weeks ago, Ayooseh came to the headquarters and went straight and opened that office and entered inside. That was on Friday. Apparently, he refused to hand over. I was just giving him benefit of the doubt that he would come and explain to me what brought him to the office. But he didn’t do that. He went back quietly after a while.
“Last week Monday, he came again with some of his aides and entered the office. So, I didn’t find it funny and I told the Security Adviser that this is the situation and he directed me to call police to arrest him. So, I called the police. But before police would arrive, this man left the office. I don’t know maybe he got the information or out of instincts, he hurriedly left. So, I directed that the gate be locked. That’s all. I didn’t touch that man; I didn’t talk to him. Nothing whatsoever. This man parked his car and exited the gate forcefully. Nobody touched him,” Ajobi claimed.
On the allegation thathe was arrested and detained at Police Zone 4 Headquarters, Makurdi, the commander debunked as he said: “I went to the police headquarters for a different issue. I didn’t spend up to five minutes in DCP CID of Zone 4. I Went there for a familiarisation visit. There is nothing like that. I did not molest him and I have not been detained. All these are wicked imaginations. He just wants to defame my character
Cpt Ajobi also denied the allegation that he sent thugs to beat and cause the arrest and incarceration of his second in command at Adikpo, Kwande LG, claiming that he has never been to the area his life.
“Since I was born, I have never been to Adikpo. I have people who are my witnesses. We will get to that level and you will hear another story again”, Ajobi claimed even as Ayooseh alleged that he mobilised the thugs from Makurdi without going to Adikpo in person.
When contacted via SMS, Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Internal Security, Mr Joseph Har, said he was “not aware of any molestation and threat to life”.
Asked if he had terminated the appointment of the Volunteer Guard’s leadership put in place by the immediate past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, and if he had authorised the commander to call police to arrest the deputy commander, Har replied: “while writing your story, you may pls show me any of the PSA, SSA or SA appointed by Ortom that are still in service”.
But Ayooseh explained that while his appointment as SSA was terminated automatically upon the end of his principal’s tenure, he remained the Volunteer Guard’s 2-i-c and that the outfit has a constitution which guides the removal of officers from office, adding that he is the most senior volunteer guard in the state.
“The ID card for my appointment as Senior Special Assistant to Ortom carried exact expiration date and no one needed to be told that my appointment ended when it was time.
“I have continued as Deputy Operational Commander of the Volunteer Guards as spelt by law until the day Alia is to make his appointment, I will be making hand over to the next person taking over from me.I think this is the rule of law and that is how it has been spelt out by law. Our law stipulates that it is only the sitting governor that has power to appoint the commandant of the volunteer guards,” Ayooseh said.
Both the Commander and the 2-i-c told National Record that they have their witnesses to their claims.
