Serious accusations have been made against the Benue State Government by an American missionary, who claims that the government purposefully thwarted his plans to build a small market for survivors of recent banditry and terrorist assaults in the Yelwata town.

The market was demolished after violent skirmishes and attacks in Guma Local Government Area. The missionary, who has been identified in different accounts as Alex Barbir, founder of the humanitarian organization Building Zion, had suggested reconstructing the market at an estimated cost of between 50 million and 60 million. His program was to give displaced and affected residents who had suffered greatly financial aid and a means of subsistence.

In a widely shared video, Barbir claims that he spoke with the Humanitarian Commissioner and other pertinent officials to explain his plans and obtain the required clearances.

He recalled: "I had to go to the Humanitarian Commissioner and I told them what I wanted to do here. Additionally, I was told that I couldn't develop the market. "We'll send you the plan tomorrow, maybe two days," they added, referring to the government's intentions to construct the market. I waited for more than two weeks without hearing back.

“And I’m pressuring, I’m asking, ‘So what is happening? When are we going to build the market? You said you’d send me the plan, I have no plan.’ And they sent me a bill of a 300 million plan for a market in Yelwata. While they told me I can’t build, I would spend maybe 50 or 60 million to rebuild everything and they considered a 300 million market here in Yelwata.

“I said, ‘What market in any village or town is there that is worth 300 million Nigeria? Not one. Zero. Even in cities, which city has a 300 million market? Very few.’ And I said I would not partake in this because my personal opinion is that people are using funds that are meant for the persecuted, the afflicted, Christian or Muslim, it doesn’t even matter. People are suffering in Nigeria, and funds are supposed to be reaching those people to help them, to rebuild, to give food, to give aid, to do all these things. And the money that’s meant for them is not making it to them. And so there needs to be purity within funds and within the government to do things in faith, to do things openly, to have accountability for what is being spent.”

Many people have questioned the effectiveness and transparency of government-led restoration initiatives in impacted villages like Yelwata in response to Barbir's assertions, which have generated extensive conversations on social media and internet platforms. Numerous victim homes have apparently been rebuilt as part of the missionary's involvement in other relief operations in the region.

As of the time of this article, the Benue State Government has not yet responded formally to these particular accusations.