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…Ex-Lagos CP apologises for action
…Gov. orders withdrawal of case
From: Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Tiv leaders led by the Tor Tiv, His Royal Majesty, Prof. James Ayatse, have waded into the rift between a former Lagos State Police Commissioner, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav and Governor Samuel Ortomof Benue State, even as they enjoined the two parties to toe the line of peace.
The traditional rulers also advised the retired police commissioner to retract his petitions against the Governor as well as tender a public apology within two weeks after which the Governor should direct the withdrawal of criminal proceedings initiated against him.
The meeting was held at the Presidential Lodge of the Benue Peoples House, at the instance of Alhaji Tsav, in response to a letter he (Tsav) had written to the Tor Tiv requesting him to intervene in the matter.
The leaders included first class chiefs in Tiv land, Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Terkimbi Ikyange, and Majority Leader, Rt Hon. Benjamin Adanyi, President General of Mdzough U. Tiv, Engineer Edward Ujege, and the organisation’s General Secretary, Dr. Boniface Ukende.
Others were the five President-Generals of the development associations from the Tiv intermediate areas of Kwande, Jechira, Sankera, Jemgbagh and Minda.
The Tor Tiv at the meeting, directed the Tor Jechira, Chief Clement Uganden, and his Lobi counterpart, Chief Moses Anageende, to monitor compliance with the advice given to the two parties and report to him within the stipulated period.
Alhaji Tsav, who is Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission in the state, while apologising to the leaders for his actions, promised to heed the advice within the stipulated period and to also direct the withdrawal of the suit he instituted at the Federal High Court in Makurdi with respect to the matter at hand.
On his part, Governor Ortom directed Barr. Andrew Wombo handling the criminal matter, to withdraw the case as soon as Alhaji Tsav complied with his demands for retraction as well as public apology.
Recall that Governor, Ortom had during a visit of Chief Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission, Mr Emmanuel Ogbile to the government House last Sunday demanded a retraction and public apology from Alhaji Abubakar Tsav as a condition for the withdrawal of the criminal case instituted against him by the Attorney General and Justice Commissioner, Mr Michael Gusa.
The Governor had posited that Alhaji Tsav’s position on his administration and the petitions against him and other government officials were based on false information fed to him which he did not cross check because of the gap between him and government.
