Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has imposed a ban on protests, unauthorised gatherings, and commercial activities within and around court premises in the State, citing security concerns.
The directive, however, exempts members of the election petitions tribunal, legal counsels, and petitioners involved in ongoing cases.
In a statement issued, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, noted that courts in the state have remained shut since 6th of December, 2024, due to the ongoing strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria.
“To maintain law and order, His Excellency has banned any form of protest, unauthorized gathering, or commercial activities such as hawking within and around court premises. Anyone found violating this directive will face legal consequences,” the statement read.
While restricting access, Governor Alia acknowledged that the Local Government Election Petition Tribunals are utilizing certain court halls for their proceedings.
Given the time-sensitive nature of election-related cases, he emphasized that only the tribunals would be granted access to designated court facilities.
The statement further disclosed that the government has put in place adequate security measures to ensure the safety of tribunal members, petitioners, respondents, legal representatives, witnesses, and tribunal staff.
Governor Alia assured that the State remains committed to upholding due process and ensuring the uninterrupted proceedings of the election petition tribunal.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to security and maintaining a peaceful environment across the State.
