The Benue House of Assembly has summoned the former special adviser to Gov. Hyacinth Alia on the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dennis Akura to appear before it during plenary on Tuesday over missing N1.78 billion.

The resolution follows a motion moved by Thomas Dugeri (APC/Kwande West) after a report of the ad-hoc committee that investigated the operations and financial records at the local government level covering the period June 2023 to June 2024 that indicted Akura.

Dugeri said that the house requested that Akura refund the sum of N1.782 billion to the coffers of the state government. The lawmaker expressed disappointment that the reactions of Akura on social media denigrated, maligned, and impugned the resolutions and integrity of the house by calling them unprintable names, claiming that he was not given a fair hearing.

He said as representatives of the people and responsible house that believed in fairness, transparency, equity, and justice, Akura should appear before the lawmakers.

Dugeri noted that the former adviser was to explain to the Benue people why he could not refund N 1.78 billion funds he short-changed various local governments for security purposes and compromised the security architecture of the state.

He further stated that all the past local government chairmen who served from June 2023 to June 2024 should equally appear before the house.

The lawmaker stated that they were to appear alongside the Directors of General Services and Administration, treasurers, and security officers of various local governments at the plenary as well to enable the Benue people to establish the veracity of the report.

He warned government appointees against disparaging and insulting members of the Legislature who were carrying out their constitutional duties for the interest of Benue people.

The House also resolved that in line with the Supreme Court Judgement on Local Government and Financial Autonomy, the house would initiate and accelerate the process of amendment of the Local Government Law.

Doing so, the House noted, would curtail the powers and excesses of the Bureau of Local Government so as to promote the local government financial autonomy.