From JOHNSON NONGU, Makurdi
The Benue State Government has denied reports alleging that the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia plans to demolish the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Secretariat in Makurdi.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Solomon Iorpev, made the clarification in a statement issued on Monday in Makurdi, describing the report as “malicious and completely detached from reality.”
Iorpev said the government had neither “conceived nor discussed any plan to demolish the CAN secretariat,” adding that the allegation was capable of creating tension between the government and the Christian community.
He said the governor had maintained a cordial relationship with CAN and other religious organisations in the state and remained committed to working with them.
According to the commissioner, the government would continue to sustain its partnership with religious organisations in promoting peace and development across the state.
“The claim is false, baseless, and completely detached from the truth,” Iorpev stated.
He urged members of the public and the media to disregard the report and rely on information from official government channels for clarification on government policies and decisions.
Iorpev also warned against the spread of what he described as deliberate misinformation, saying the government would not allow social media platforms to be used to create disaffection or undermine public peace.
He said the circulation of false information capable of inciting public disaffection or damaging the reputation of government institutions could attract criminal liability under extant Nigerian laws, including the Cybercrimes Act.