As the new administration begins probing the previous government, Governor Suswam's counsel Dave Iorhemba, has filed 10 motions supported by affidavit, seeking to halt the action. In August, Governor Ortom set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the incomes and expenditure of the former administration. 

Last month, the commission began sitting with the collection of memoirs submitted by ministries, departments and agencies and invited various witnesses to testify before it. Confirming that Governor Suswan is seeking to halt the probe,  one high court official said the court actually received the writ and it was immediately sent to the chief judge’s office for assignment to a judge. 

He added: “Yes, we have actually received the motion filed by lawyers to Suswam seeking the court to issue an order stopping the probe of his administration by the present government in the state and the file has been forwarded to the chief judge for the purpose of assigning the case to a judge.” 

Yesterday, Bridget Sheidu, the managing director of the Benue Investment and Property Company  (BIPC) was grilled by the commission of inquiry, which gave her a tough time. Apparently, she could not convince the panel chaired by Justice Elizabeth Kpojime on what N355m (£1.17m) paid to one Sankalos Benue Farms was used for, even after several explanations. 

She had told the panel that the money was the 40% share of a counterpart fund to which the company was supposed to contribute 60% for the purchase of agricultural equipment from Mexico. In addition, Ms Kpojime pointed out  that the money which was actually supposed to be paid in dollars into a foreign account was later translated to the company in naira so that the total of N355m was withdrawn once from the BIPC’s bank account and paid into Sankalos account from where it was later withdrawn in bits within six days.

However, Justice Kpojime wondered why Sankalos which was meant to provide 60% of the total sum for the procurement of the equipment would turn around and demand Benue State’s 40%. Another member of the commission, Barrister Joe Abaagu, contended that the money in question never left Nigeria, alleging that Sankalos Benue Farms was only a fictitious name used as a conduit pipe to siphon the funds.