The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Dr. Tersoo Joseph Loko, the former chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), alongside ten co-defendants at the Federal High Court in Makurdi, over an alleged diversion of ₦1.1 billion in public funds originally released for local government elections.
The prosecution brought a 30-count indictment accusing Loko and the others of criminal misappropriation of public funds and money laundering related to funds meant to support the 2020 and 2022 local government elections in Benue State.
According to counsel to the EFCC, M.S. Yusuf, the total released by the state for the two election cycles amounted to approximately ₦1.6 billion, but only about ₦565 million was reportedly used for election activities. The prosecution alleges that roughly ₦1.1 billion remains unaccounted for, prompting the anti-graft agency’s intervention.
In court, prosecutors told Justice M.S. Abubakar that Loko, while serving as BSIEC chairman, allegedly received substantial cash payments from commission funds and diverted them for personal use. Among the specific allegations are cash payments of roughly ₦118 million in 2020 and ₦110.9 million in 2022, both recorded as legitimate disbursements but now claimed by the EFCC to have been misused.
The ten co-defendants Kuleve Terlumun, Mtomga Manasseh, Ugbede Denen, Tatyough Thaddeus, Angwa Dominic, Uwua Igbawua, Adese Asom, Orkuma Emmanuel, Owoicho Odeh, and Mhir Iyenge were named alongside Loko on the charges. All have denied wrongdoing.
When the charges were read in court, Loko and his co-accused pleaded not guilty to all 30 counts. The EFCC asked the judge to set a date for the prosecution to begin presenting evidence in support of its case.
In his ruling, Justice Abubakar granted bail to each of the defendants in the amount of ₦50 million, with one surety in the same sum. The judge stipulated that the sureties must possess valid international passports, and ordered all defendants to deposit their own passports with the court registrar.
Pending the fulfillment of bail conditions, the judge ordered that the defendants be remanded. The matter has been adjourned to April 24, 2026, for the hearing of the prosecution’s case.
