By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has announced suspension of his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Fidelis Mnyim.
Governor Alia who announced the suspension, Wednesday, while addressing journalists after the state executive council meeting held at Government House Makurdi, said Mnyim’s suspension followed his involvement in the suite seeking to scrap the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, without due consultation with his administration, distancing his government from the decision.
The governor said he was shocked when it came to his knowledge that his own Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Mnyim, was part of the Commissioners for Justice of other states across the country that took the two anti-graft agencies to court, when his administration was using the two agencies to recover stolen funds for the state.
He said his administration is not comfortable with his decision and was equally disturbed by his position when the state has been deprived of its own resources, describing the position of his attorney general and commissioner for justice and public order as personal and not feelings of his government or Benue people.
The governor further insisted that Mnyim would remain suspended until he would provide sufficient explanation on why he took the decision without due consultation, stating that both the state executive council and his government must be satisfied with his explanation to serve as demonstration to the public that his administration was not part of his decision and would not take such anti people decision.
He argued that it was in appropriate for his attorney general and commissioner for justice and public order, Mnyim, to have spoken on such a sensitive matter without due consultation saying his suspension would serve as deterrent to others.