Benue gov angry as gunmen kill his aide, shoot wife

Gunmen, in the early hours of Sunday, killed the Benue State governor’s Principal Special Assistant on Knowledge, Economy and Investment, Dr Tavershima Adyorough.

The gunmen, according to sources, invaded Adyorough’s residence located at BIPC Quarters, Nyiman in Makurdi around 12.30a.m., where they shot him and his wife.

It was gathered that Adyorough died instantly, while his wife was said to have been rushed to an undisclosed hospital.

It will be recalled that the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on security matters, Mr Denen Igbane, was also killed by gunmen in May 2016.

Confirming the incident, the Benue State Police Command’s image-maker, ASP Moses Yamu, said that the police got information that two yet-to-be identified gunmen in the early hours on Sunday shot Dr Adyorough and his wife in their residence.

Yamu said that on arrival at the residence, the police rushed the couple to the hospital where the man was confirmed dead, while the wife is currently receiving treatment.

He added that five expended cartridges were also recovered from the scene of the crime.

The police image-maker said that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Bashir Makama, had ordered an immediate investigation to unravel those behind this crime, while assuring members of the public that the perpetrators would be brought to book.

Also, the state governor, Mr Samuel Ortom, called on security agents to immediately swing into action and arrest the perpetrators of the crime.

In a press statement made available to the Tribune Online on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Terver Akase, Ortom expressed disgust over the death of his aide, describing the killing as unacceptable and condemnable.

Ortom described his aide as a competent and dependable person who delivered on assignments with dedication and honesty.

He sympathised with the immediate family of the deceased, the government and people of the state on the loss, pledging that he would support security agents in apprehending the culprits.

He urged those with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators to make such available to security agents.

Tribune Online gathered that Dr Adyorough formerly resided in the United States of America, where he was once the president of the Mutual Union of Tiv People in the country before returning to Nigeria to take an appointment with Ortom’s administration.