BREAKING NEWS:
Benue State Governor’s Aide Assassinated…12 Bullets Pumped on his Legs, Stomach Near a Neighbouring Building
*Deceased Had Premonition of His Death
*Wife, family, Government Mourn Untimely Death
* “We are Sad. We will Find the Killers and Bring them to Justice”- Governor Samuel Ortom
BY JAMES OCHEAGWU/REPORTER, MARKUDI
THE Benue State Government is presently mourning. The wife, family and friends of late Honorable Igbana Deneen, Senior Special Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State are crying, seems uncontrollable. The era of assassins has now come full circle in Benue State.
All over the once quiet town of Benue State, people are asking: “What could have led to the murder of this active Security Aide to Governor Ortom?” Several theories are being put forward by passers-by, motorists and natives of the state. Some were even alleging that his death could be as a result of fifth columnists not far from the shrouded identities of some Fulani herdsmen angry that the deceased was the brain behind several reactionary moves undertaken by the youths of Benue State to fence off attack by the Fulani herdsmen that earlier killed the people, maimed and raped their under-age girls in the state.
Facts remain that ‘unknown gunmen’ as early as 2:30am unidentified gunmen numbering 20 stormed the house of Honorable Igbana Deneen at his private residence at Tionsha area, along Makurdi-Naka expressway. He was still in his living room having just arrived home from work, trying to pull off his dresses. Deneen’s security guards in the house were overpowered at the gate, shot dead, while the strange intruders acting on tip off rained bullets on the door to force it open. At this point, the deceased wife and children were still on their bed sleeping, unaware of what was happening.
Deneen begged that his life be spared by the killers. These assassins rejected his plea and pumped 12 bullets into his stomach and legs to be sure he had been killed. Not up to 5 minutes after, the killers drove off in awaiting vehicles and escaped leaving no trace.
The wife and children were woken up from their sleep by the sound of gunshots. They only came to the living room some minutes after the assassins had gone to see their breadwinner in the pool of his own blood. They called their neighbours, all of them joined hands to rush Deneen to Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) and he died on the way.
An eye witness account revealed that the wife was screaming that Deneen had told her of a bad dream he had the previous night to his death. And that they had prayed against it. “Deneen’s wife was screaming and shouting while the wounded husband was been carried to the hospital. She involuntarily said her husband had a bad dream the previous night, which they prayed against. But was surprised that enemies of husband-whose identities they don’t know which only God knows did this havoc to their breadwinner.”
Meanwhile Governor Ortom has vowed to fish out the killers of his senior special assistant on security. Igbana was assassinated early Friday in his private residence. Ortom described the assassination of his aide as irreparable, saying the death was a heavy blow to him and his entire administration.
Governor Ortom promised to quickly mobilize security agencies to unravel the killing and fish out the culprits. Witnesses account revealed that the gunmen stormed the house and shot severally on the Hilux van in which the SSA drove. The assailants pursued him when he attempted to escape before he was finally killed in a house near his home. Governor Ortom paid a condolence visit to the family at the residence in Tionsha, alongside members of the executive and state security councils. “We are sad presently in Benue State as unidentified assassins killed our SSA on security. It is a huge blow to me and my administration. We will not rest until the killers are found. I am going to quickly mobilize security agencies to unravel the killing and fish out the culprits. They must be tried.”
This was confirmed by the leader of Tionsha community, Chief Thomas Ayakpam who said the death was a great loss to the entire community and state. He explained that the SSA was killed by the gunmen for no just cause. His words: “The gunmen came in the midnight at about 12.32am when he just returned and had not come down from his vehicle. He came down from the vehicle but they pursued him and shot him several times in the leg and stomach. But Deneen was wailing, calling for help. He died while being conveyed to the hospital after the gunmen had escaped.”
He also visited the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) mortuary where the corpse was deposited.
