By Dayo Johnson

The Police has cleared the Executive Chairman of Ado Local Government, Engineer Oche Sunday Oche, of allegations of criminal activity levelled against him by the Deputy Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Mrs. Lami Danladi Ogenyi.

Area Commander of the Otukpa Police Area Command, ACP Cosmas Eze, gave the clearance in an official report dated October 1, 2025, with reference number CB:0900/BNS/KPA/VOL.10/24.

In the report submitted to the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Eze, said that a thorough investigation, including a visit to the alleged crime scene in Ubioge community, found no prima facie evidence to support the claims against the council chairman.

According to the report, a team led by the Area Crime Officer, DSP Joel Iyanya, met with residents of Ubioge–Ijigban Izzi community, who denied ever recording cases of kidnapping, rape, torture, extortion or armed robbery.

Two community members, Okeme Emmanuel, 52, and Blessing Nwafor, 44 volunteered statements affirming the peaceful nature of the area.

Both also clarified that the community has no forest, directly contradicting the allegation of an illegal detention camp.

Nwafor, who leads the Ubioge Ijigban Izzi Women’s Meeting, said the community had “never, even for a day,” experienced such crimes, adding that regular meetings of women in the area had never raised any security-related concerns.

The police further noted that investigators toured and photographed all accessible roads, pathways, and the local market, confirming that no structure or landscape in the community could serve as a detention facility.

Also, the report said that all attempts to obtain substantiating evidence from the State House of Assembly “proved abortive.”

The investigation followed an earlier probe by a five-member ad-hoc committee of the Benue State House of Assembly, chaired by Hon. Shimawua Emmanuel Terna, which had also cleared the chairman of wrongdoing after failing to establish any link between him and the alleged crimes.

Reacting to the Chairman Oche thanked the people of the local government area for their support, loyalty and commitment, promising to take the council to a higher level of peace, transparency and development.

Oche expressed appreciation to community leaders, traditional institutions and residents who “stood firm in truth” throughout the period of investigation.

He noted that their solidarity had strengthened his resolve to continue delivering on his mandate.

Oche added that the distraction caused by the allegations would not deter his administration from pursuing programmes aimed at enhancing security, improving infrastructure and expanding economic opportunities across Ado Local Government.

He pledged to remain focused on governance and to uphold accountability in all council activities

The allegations which included running an illegal security outfit and operating a secret detention cell in a supposed forest in Obioge village had sparked months of controversy and prompted both legislative and police investigations.

With the police clearance, this has brought a definitive close to the months long controversy on the issue.

Source; Vanguard News