Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia’s Senior Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation, Terver Gbenda, was filmed distributing ₦2,000 cash and 10kg bags of rice to residents in Otukpo.
The viral video sparked significant public debate and polarized reactions across Nigeria:
In the footage recorded in Otukpo, Terver Gbenda is seen handing out palliatives alongside cash.
He is heard telling the beneficiaries to “chase out” anyone who comes into the area to campaign against Governor Hyacinth Alia.
Media commentary and civil groups have raised concerns over the rhetoric, noting a clear distinction between legal political mobilization and using palliatives to incite hostility or turn youths into political enforcers.
Conversely, some defenders of the administration view the exercise strictly as part of ongoing food-relief efforts amid the economic downturn.
The distribution happened alongside a broader food-palliative rollout by the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) aimed at mitigating economic hardship across local government areas.
However, the inclusion of direct political warnings during the distribution has drawn sharp criticism regarding the weaponization of poverty for partisan alignment.
