An American missionary has accused the Benue State Government of frustrating his attempts to assist in the reconstruction of Yelwata village, which was recently attacked by bandits.
It would be recalled that the Yelwata area in Benue state had been attacked by bandits in June, killing scores of people and destroying the place.
According to the missionary, his efforts to rebuild key community infrastructure, particularly the local market, were halted after he was informed by officials that the state government had its own plans for the project.
He said he was directed to wait for official building plans, which were promised within days but never provided even after several weeks of follow-up.
He further alleged that instead of allowing him to proceed with a modest reconstruction project estimated at a fraction of the cost, the government later presented a proposal for a market valued at about ₦300 million.
The missionary questioned the justification for such an amount, arguing that similar markets in Nigerian villages and even major cities do not typically require such funding.
Expressing concern over transparency and accountability, he claimed that funds meant for victims of violence and vulnerable communities were being mismanaged and failing to reach those in need.
He stressed that aid should be handled with integrity, openness, and proper oversight, regardless of religious or ethnic considerations, to ensure that suffering communities genuinely benefit from relief and rebuilding efforts.
He said …
“I had to go to the humanitarian commissioner and I let them know of my desire here, what I’m supposed to do. And I was directed that I’m not allowed to build the market.
They said that the government has plans to build the market.
And they said, we’ll send you the plan tomorrow, maybe two days. And I waited over two weeks, no response.
And I’m pressuring, I’m asking, so what is happening? When are we going to build the market?
You said you would send me the plan, I have no plan. And they sent me a video of a 300 million plan for a market in Yelwata.
While they told me I can’t build, I would spend maybe 50 or 60 million to rebuild everything.
And they would consider a 300 million market here in Yelwata.
I said, what market in any village or town is there that is worth 300 million in Nigeria? Not one. Zero. Even in cities.
Which city has 300 million market? Very few.
And I said, I would not partake in this.
Because my personal opinion is that people are using funds that are meant for the persecuted, the afflicted.
Christian or Muslim, it doesn’t even matter. People are suffering in Nigeria.
And funds are supposed to be reaching those people to help them, to rebuild, to give food, to give aid, to do all these things.
And the money that’s meant for them is not making it to them.
And so there needs to be purity within funds and within the government to do things in faith to do things openly, to have accountability for what is being spent…”
