Benue sacks Executive Secretary convicted of assault

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue has ordered the immediate termination of the appointment of the Executive Secretary of the Teachers Service Board, TSB, James Pine, for ’embarrassing’ the state government.

The Acting Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Bem Meladu, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Makurdi that the state government was embarrassed by the actions of Mr. Pine who allegedly assaulted a staff-member under him.

He said that Mr. Pine also used criminal force on the staffer and while the case was in court, he turned down all overtures toward peaceful resolution of the matter.

The SSG regretted that the matter dragged on in court till he was convicted by a court on charges of assault and criminal force.

The official said very senior officials in government tried to arbitrate in the matter to no avail and lamented that the conviction was “very embarrassing to the government.”

“Governor Ortom has, therefore, directed the termination of his appointment because Pine’s conviction by the court was an embarrassment to the governor, the government and the people of the state.”

Mr. Pine, who was appointed by Mr. Ortom in 2015, was dragged to court by one of his subordinates, James Asema, on account of assault and criminal force.

The magistrate court had on Thursday last week found him culpable and sentenced him to five months imprisonment or an option of N10,000 fine.

(NAN)