By Winnie Onu, Makurdi
A fresh wave of political tension has erupted in Benue State after security-backed demolition crews pulled down a popular recreation spot owned by 2027 PDP House of Representatives aspirant, Dr. Emmanuel Shior, in what his camp describes as a brazen use of state power to intimidate opposition figures.
The late-night operation, which flattened Verlush Restaurant and Lounge in Makurdi on Thursday, has triggered public outrage and renewed questions about the Alia administration’s handling of political dissent.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by Tivta Samuel Aondohemba of the Shior Media Team, the governor personally visited the site earlier that day and reportedly ordered that the structure be demolished within 30 minutes.
The team alleged that barely 10 minutes after the governor left, officials of the Benue State Urban Development Board, accompanied by armed security operatives, arrived with bulldozers and began the demolition without notice.
Staff were allegedly barred from retrieving equipment, documents, or stock before the machinery moved in, resulting in the total loss of property.
The Shior camp argued that the demolition was selectively executed, pointing out that other businesses along the same corridor, including Star Shawarma, were untouched.
They insisted the move was designed to cripple a rising opposition figure ahead of the 2027 polls.
“We strongly condemn this unlawful and vindictive act, calling on civil society organisations, democratic institutions, and the international community to take note of what has become a growing pattern of state-sponsored intimidation,” the Shior Media Team said.
The team said it will pursue legal action to challenge the demolition and defend its candidate’s rights.
Responding, the Acting General Manager of the Benue State Urban Development Board (BSUDB), Ternongo Mede, has refuted claims that the demolition of Verlush Restaurant and Lounge was carried out without notice, insisting that the owners were duly served.
“We served them notice on the 20th of this month (November 2025). We went there, marked the structure, and issued a demolition notice,” Mede said.
He explained that the governor only became involved after observing environmental violations during a routine drive-by the following day.
“Coincidentally, His Excellency was passing by on Thursday when he noticed that some trees had been cut down. Those trees were planted by the state government during ex-Governor George Akume’s administration under Ogiri Ajene, and people have been hacking them down despite repeated warnings,” he said.
Mede stated that residents around the area complained that the operator of the restaurant had been felling trees and had previously dumped refuse on walkways, an issue the governor had allegedly cautioned him about in the past.
“When the governor stopped, he asked who was responsible for cutting the trees and was told it was the person running the place. He then called me to ask what was going on, and I informed him that we had already served them notice and marked the structure for demolition,” Mede explained.
He added that logistical constraints initially delayed the demolition, saying, “I told him we didn’t have a vehicle available to move in immediately. But he instructed that the demolition should be carried out before the following morning and that I would have problems if I failed to comply. He called me around 5:30pm, and I had to mobilise and execute the directive. But we served them notice earlier,” Mede said.
