Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has banned protests and other activities within court premises with immediate effect.

The governor announced the ban in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, to journalists in Makurdi.

According to the statement, only local election petition tribunal sittings will be allowed due to the time-sensitive nature of their assignments.

The governor noted that court premises in Benue State, remain closed since December 6, 2024, due to the ongoing Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) strike.

Mr Alia stated, “Consequently, all individuals and groups are directed to refrain from carrying out any form of activity within or around the court premises until further notice. We acknowledge that the local government election petition tribunals are utilising some court halls for their proceedings. Recognising the time-bound nature of election petitions, only the election petition tribunals will be allowed access to the designated court premises where they are sitting. To ensure the safety and security of all concerned, necessary security measures have been put in place to protect members of the tribunals, petitioners, respondents, their legal representatives, witnesses and the tribunal secretariat. In the interest of maintaining law and order, any form of protest, unauthorised gathering, or commercial activities such as hawking within and around the court premises have been banned.’’

The governor noted that anyone found violating the directive would face legal consequences.

The governor guaranteed a peaceful atmosphere for the continued sittings of the tribunal in the open court in Benue State, ensuring that due process was followed without any form of interference.

He expressed his firm belief in the judiciary and the rule of law and urged the public to “remain calm and patient as they await the tribunal’s decisions.”

Mr Alia reaffirmed that since assuming office, Benue State, had enjoyed relative peace on the security front, though some challenges had persisted.

He assured the people of Benue that his administration remained committed to enhancing security and ensuring a safe and peaceful state for all.

(NAN)