In a bold move to sanitize Benue State’s education sector, Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has ordered a full-scale forensic investigation into the activities of the State Ministry of Education during the administration of his predecessor, Chief Samuel Ortom, covering the years 2015 to 2023.
The probe, announced in Makurdi by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Sir Kula Tersoo, comes in response to mounting allegations of financial mismanagement and educational fraud under former Commissioner for Education, Dr. Dennis Ityavyar.
According to Tersoo, petitions received from the National Union of Benue State Students (NUBESS), the Community of Tiv Students (CTS), and the state’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) triggered the audit. The complaints point to alleged extortion and failure of service delivery during the previous administration.
Among the shocking revelations, the CPS alleged that the ministry sold scholarship forms at ₦500 to thousands of students without awarding any scholarships. Additionally, over 500,000 secondary school students reportedly paid ₦500 each for centralized identity cards that were never issued.
Another ₦1,500 annual ICT fee collected from students was allegedly unaccounted for, as no computer labs or digital learning facilities were provided in schools statewide.
Tersoo said the scale of neglect was alarming, with over 400 substandard schools discovered to be operating in the state. “These were schools without proper learning environments and filled with unqualified teachers,” he added.
The probe also follows political tension stirred by Dr. Ityavyar’s recent criticism of Governor Alia’s policies, particularly on insecurity and enforcement of the state’s Anti-Open Grazing Law. Dr. Ityavyar, now a declared 2027 governorship aspirant, had accused the current administration of lacking the political will to protect lives and property.
In what appears to be a contrasting performance report, the Alia administration has touted significant achievements in the education sector. The CPS disclosed that the state government has recruited 9,700 qualified primary school teachers and identified 4,000 illegal or substandard schools for regulatory action.
He further highlighted ongoing efforts such as the renovation of 225 public primary schools, payment of WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB fees for over 18,000 students, and the establishment of the State University of Agriculture, Science, and Technology in Ihugh, Vandeikya LGA.
“Since assuming office, Governor Alia has stabilized the education sector. Our tertiary institutions now enjoy uninterrupted academic sessions. Also, the 38-month backlog of Earned Allowance owed to staff of the state university has been fully cleared,” Tersoo said.
The unfolding audit promises to be a litmus test for the government’s anti-corruption drive and could have far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 elections. Stakeholders across the state are watching closely as the probe begins into what could be one of the most controversial chapters in Benue’s educational history.