International human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe has revealed that the official U.S. fact-finding mission did not bypass anyone and its itinerary was worked out purely on logistical basis.

Responding to complaints of neglect from the Idoma community that Congressman Riley-led delegation only visited the capital and Tiv victims, Ogebe said: “It’s important to understand that the delegation had a choice between Benue and Plateau state. Ultimately Benue won because it had a broader spectrum of options to view. They could see the state governor, then see the Bishop who had testified twice before them this year and also see IDPs.

“In Plateau they would not have been able to hit this trifecta.

“Furthermore in Idomaland, just like in Plateau state, you don’t have a-decade long IDP camp. So although there was initial concern that the Governor’s propaganda being a priest would befuddle them, that was offset by seeing live victims in person.

“Indeed it was a major victory for advocates that the delegation traveled outside Abuja as, during the visit of the Ambassador-at-large for Religious Freedom in the first Trump administration, the embassy blocked his going to Benue that it was “unsafe”. Ironically the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria was visiting Makurdi at the very time his diplomats were claiming Benue was too dangerous for then Ambassador Brownback to visit in 2019.

“A similar situation transpired when Foreign Affairs Africa subcommittee Chair Rep Chris Smith led a CODEL (Congressional Delegation) to Nigeria. The U.S. Embassy sai’ Plateau state was unsafe and no congressman had ever been there. Meanwhile the highest number of Americans living in Nigeria in the north are in Jos.

“The courageous Congressman calmly told the embassy, “well, we’re about to make history then” so they had to provide an armed convoy to take him to Jos and back.

“The fact that the Riley CODEL came with a US Gulfstream aircraft shows the seriousness of the mission which was empowered to fly outside Abuja to ensure a thorough spot-assessment to brief the US president properly.

“There is nowhere the plane could have landed in Benue south but Plateau does have Heipang airport.

“Incidentally, it may also have been a factor that Makurdi airport is located on the Tactical Air Command base and thus more secure than Jos airport.

“A major consideration though is that Makurdi is actually an approved stopover destination for road-traveling US embassy convoys. All of these factors were taken into cognizance to arrive at the optimal site visit location.”

Continuing, Ogebe said in a statement made available via e-mail to News Express on Monday, December 15, 2025: “Accordingly I urge people not to waste their energy claiming neglect in this respect. If anything, CAN should have complained that they only met part of the delegation after the Congressional component had left but they accepted the State Department component and moved on.

“As an international son of Idoma, I would not let my people be unspoken for and have assiduously taken up our cause since the Agatu massacre of 2016.

“This is why last year November, I brought a medical team from the U.S. and we treated hundreds of our people drawn from across zone C at the Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo. This is in addition to church rebuilding from 2016 Agatu massacre and my food relief mission to Edumoga IDPs as well as medical assistance to victims of Adoka massacre in 2023.

“However we need Idoma clergy, royalty and activists to speak up as well. I was very impressed when Otse VeryDarkman blew up the Yelewata atrocity to’the world. We should all join hands to assist our people. We have a situation where the Fulani tribe that has been in presidency or vice for 23 out of 26 since return to democracy are literally fighting hundreds of minority tribes that have never even tasted power!”

•PHOTO: Ogebe with US medical team to his right and state medical director (left) with child victim of Agatu massacre (middle) during a medical mission to Otukpo Benue state in 2024

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