The home of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Benue State, Akaa Lim, has been burnt down by suspected arsonists barely 24 hours after he received a car gift from the state Governor, Samuel Ortom.
Lim, a supporter of the Benue governor was still in Makurdi hours after he was gifted with a brand new Sharon vehicle when news filtered in that his residence in Gboko East of Gboko Local Government Area of the state had been set ablaze.
Witnesses said the incident happened on Thursday but that no life was lost apart from property destroyed.
The witnesses alleged that the fire, which completely raised a portion of the house was the handiwork of some persons, noting that it couldn’t have been caused by an electrical fault since there was no power supply to the building.
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They alleged that Lim’s political opponents may have a hand in the fire incident because he contested the seat of Buruku Constituency for the state House of Assembly at the primaries and lost.
“Some people are angry with him for being on Ortom’s side. They expected him to have cut the ties in the wake of the rivalry between the governor and some members of the party,’ a witness who preferred anonymity said.
However, Lim told journalists that he was grateful to God that no life was involved in the fire outbreak, adding that he suspected the incident to be the handiwork of opposition.
Lim said he couldn’t immediately finger those behind the act, adding that the arsonists burnt the house after they had vandalised property worth millions of naira.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Catherine Anene, said she was yet to get information on the incident.
