On August 31, 2024, a petition was filed with high-ranking officials against associates of Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia. The petitioners, Moses Mkeenem and Iordoo Terungwa Demian, have accused Ternenge Moses and Livinus Tsav of unlawfully using military and police personnel to harass and assault members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State.Represented by Hanaze, Wendeh & Associates, the petition alleges that Moses and Tsav, who are Senior Special Assistants to Governor Alia, have been employing soldiers and police officers to intimidate and beat APC members, disrupting their activities. The petition claims that these associates have used their protection detail to inflict violence and suppress political opponents. A photograph included with the petition shows Moses and Tsav being escorted by armed personnel at a political event in Adikpo, Kwande Local Government Area.The petitioners assert that, on August 23, 2024, at the APC State Secretariat in Makurdi, Moses and Tsav ordered their security detail to assault APC members, causing injuries and severe beatings. Iordoo Terungwa Demian, one of the petitioners, was reportedly brutally beaten by the soldiers and police acting on the orders of Moses and Tsav.The petition argues that the armed personnel are being misused as a “private army” by Moses and Tsav, rather than solely providing security. It criticizes this misuse as damaging the reputation of the Nigerian Army. The petitioners are seeking N5,000,000 in damages for Demian’s alleged mistreatment and are calling for disciplinary action against the involved military and police personnel.The petition reflects a serious concern over the alleged misuse of security forces for political violence and urges the authorities to address and rectify the situation to uphold the rule of law and the Army’s reputation.