By Amos Aar
THE CHIEF Press Secretary (CPS) to Benue State governor, Tersoo Kula, has disclaimed reports that the governor was attacked by youths of Ugondo Community of Makurdi, the State capital, on Wednesday.
Governor Alia’s convoy was allegedly pelted with stones by the youths when he visited Vaatia College to assess the level of arrangement for the burial of Engr. Michael Vaatia and six of the alleged perpetrators were reportedly arrested by the police.
Kula said the report was “fake, fictitious, misleading, and probably designed to undermine, and cast Governor Hyacinth Alia in a negative light”.
The statement read partly, “We wish to make it abundantly clear to the public that:
“Nobody hauled any object(s) on Governor Alia or his convoy anywhere in Benue State. This is deep fake!
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“Governor Alia went to Vaatia College, Makurdi where there was a reported case of house breakage, thievery, desecration of tomb and vandalism.
“Traditional rulers of the host community, including Ter Makurdi, Mue Ter-Masev, among others were there with Some very prominent elders like Sen. Fred Orti, Sen. Daniel Saror, Chief Akange Audu amongst others.
“While addressing them, Governor Alia made it clear that those who perpetrated the nefarious acts of breakage, thievery vandalism and desecration of tomb must be arrested and brought to book to serve as deterrent to others.
“Some youths of the host community on the orders of their elders quickly mobilized and arrested some suspects and handed them over to the security operatives that were present at the meeting.
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“Governor Alia went to Vaatia College undisturbed, held the meeting and came out undisturbed.
“Governor Alia is loved by the people. He is the only Gov in the history of the state that has been walking the streets and markets ascertaining reports including monitoring progress of works himself without being harassed by anyone.
“We advise media professionals to adhere to the principles and ethics of the profession in plying their trade. Credibility should be the watch word. Consciously propagating fake news should be avoided.
“The necessary principle of verifying news sources before going to press should remain sacrosanct.
“If journalists become more excited about copy and paste journalism, then, it will be difficult to give them the desired respect of “Watch Dog” of the society.
“This report is ill intended, to say the least.
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“It is advisable that we learn and adhere strictly to the principles and tenets of journalism. Let us learn to be investigative and always verify the truthfulness of any report we give.
“We can do better than copying news stories and pasting, otherwise, there are tendencies of copying a malicious and mischievous story like this one all the time”.
