Journalists covering Benue State have broken ranks with their union leadership. The Correspondents' Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists pulled out of all state council activities on May 27, 2026.
Members made the decision at an emergency congress held in Makurdi. Chapel officials Martins Kajo and John Shiaondo signed the announcement.
They want nothing to do with state council work until disputes get resolved. All chapel members on state committees must step down immediately, the group directed.
Correspondents have no confidence in state NUJ Chairman Bemdoo Ugber. They accuse him of behaving badly and embarrassing journalists publicly over money matters.
According to the chapel, Ugber split the union into factions. He favoured non-members while sidelining actual journalists, they charged.
Financial accountability became a major issue for the angry correspondents. Ugber failed to account for funds from council-owned schools, they alleged.
Two million naira from the schools went unaccounted for, the group claimed. The rector of Federal Polytechnic Wannune gave three million naira for chairs that also disappeared from records.
Governor Hyacinth Alia donated a bus and palm trees worth ten million naira to the union. Chapel members say 3.5 million naira from that donation hasn't been properly tracked.
Journalists reported another troubling practice involving the union bus. They're forced to pay as much as 50,000 naira to use the vehicle for news assignments.
A recent state council communiqué angered chapel members significantly. The council had issued a vote of no confidence against Chief Press Secretary Sir Tersoo Kula.
Chapel correspondents rejected that position outright. They insist genuine journalists never backed such a move at the meeting.
Non-professionals and hired people manipulated the council vote, the chapel contended. Those voices don't speak for real journalists in the state.
Despite their grievances with union leadership, chapel members praised state officials. Governor Alia earned their confidence for treating journalists fairly.
Sir Tersoo Kula and other media handlers also received backing from correspondents. The chapel commended their friendly approach and work toward improving the state.
