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| Benue Governor. |
A Senior District Court sitting in Makurdi has ordered the Benue State Government to immediately pay a judgment debt of about N57 million to the former Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Terwase Orbunde, and 13 others who served under the immediate past administration of Samuel Ortom.
Justice Kevin Mbanongun, who presided over the case, issued the directive on November 5, 2025, instructing the Operational Manager of Fidelity Bank Plc to enforce the garnishee order and ensure the full payment within five hours of being served.
The beneficiaries of the ruling include Senator Titus Zam, Simon Abua, Emmanuel Manger, Professor Jonathan Uever, Dr Mathew Mnyam, Tahav Agerzua, and Shimataver Aondoakaa. Others listed are Mr Merga Kachina, the late Shima Ayati, Stephen Tyochir, Tsenongo Abacha, James Uloko, and Sam Unom.
The affected former officials had dragged the state government to court, seeking payment of their severance benefits, which were reportedly approved in their appointment letters but left unpaid after they left office.
Their counsel, Barrister Ocha Ulegede, initiated the garnishee proceedings after the National Industrial Court in Makurdi delivered a summary judgment on December 13, 2024 — a judgment the Benue State Government allegedly failed to comply with.
Speaking after the court session, one of the beneficiaries, Mr Agerzua, hailed the verdict as “justice well served,” noting that several appeals had earlier been made to the government without any positive response.
He explained that the Ministry of Finance had reportedly approved the funds toward the end of the Ortom administration, with some beneficiaries already paid before the transition.
Although Fidelity Bank was served the garnishee order around 1 p.m. on Tuesday, payment had yet to be effected at the time of filing this report.
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