Part 4: Benue State Cancels Contract, Initiates Legal Action As Anti-Corruption Agencies Prosecute Monimichelle Over Failed N1.7BN Aper Aku Stadium

Benue State Cancels Contract, Initiates Legal Action As Anti-Corruption Agencies Prosecute Monimichelle Over Failed N1.7BN Aper Aku Stadium

By BSN Investigations Desk

The Benue State House of Assembly has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to immediately commence the prosecution of Monimichelle Sports Facility Construction Ltd over its failure to deliver on the N1.7 Billion contract for the renovation of the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi.

Added to this, the state has ordered the cancellation of the contract and directed the Attorney General to institute a legal action within seven days.

Timeline of Delay and Defiance

Lawmakers at State Assembly on Tuesday said that despite being summoned four times to explain the delays, Ebi Egbe, the contractor refused to appear before House committees, a move interpreted by the Assembly as an intentional act of sabotage and contempt for due process.

The contractual agreement, originally pegged at a two-month completion window, has long expired in December 2024. However, physical inspection and documents reviewed by BSN Sports investigations confirmed that key components of the stadium—the pitch, scoreboard, tartan track, floodlights, and sprinkler system—remain incomplete.

Legislative Outrage and Legal Orders

At Tuesday’s plenary session, the Assembly moved swiftly:

 • Directed the Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Creativity, Mr. Terkimbi Ikyange, to terminate the contract within seven days, citing gross breach.

 • Instructed the State Attorney General to commence legal proceedings to recover disbursed funds.

 • Resolved to petition the EFCC and ICPC to begin criminal investigations and prosecution of Monimichelle.

 • Summoned officials of the Ministry of Works, Housing and Urban Development alleged to have facilitated inflated costing of the contract.

Speaker Hon. Aondona Dajoh described the situation as a watershed moment:

 “Benue will no longer be a playground for corrupt contractors. This is a betrayal of trust and abuse of public funds.”

The legislative action comes in the wake of a BSN Sports exposé published in April, 2025 after several weeks of thorough investigation, which brought national attention to the stadium’s stalling. Hours after publication, the BSN Sports website suffered a coordinated cyberattack, temporarily bringing down the report—an incident now seen as potentially linked to the unfolding scandal.

A Pattern of Evasion

Letters obtained by BSN Sports indicate that in March 2025, Monimichelle wrote to the state requesting the final 20% payment, citing delays at Lagos ports. However, the contractor’s failure to meet its earlier December, 2024 and March 2025 promise of delivery—and lack of transparency—has only heightened suspicions.

The state has concluded that in the next few days the contract be handed to another facility construction company to speed up the completion of the stalled Aper Aku Stadium.