The remains of the slain House of Representatives Vanguard Newspaper reporter, late Tordue Salem was on Saturday laid to rest at his family compound in Gaado community of Mbayion in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State amidst tears.
Those present at the burial ceremony include family members, colleagues, the representative of the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila and a former First Lady of Benue State, Mrs Regina Akume among other dignitaries from all walks of life.
Speaking shortly after the mass in honour of the deceased, Gbajabiamila who was represented by the member representing Gboko/Tarka Federal constituency of Benue State, Dr John Dyegh, described the incident as very sad, unfortunate and tasked the nation’s security forces to hunt for those behind the dastardly act of his death.
Gbajabiamila assured that the National Assembly would stop at nothing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the late journalist’s death and consoled the family and prayed God to grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
He promised that he would use his office to ensure that those involved in the suspicious death of the late Salem were brought to book.
Speaking as the representative of the Federal Constituency, Dyegh called on the Federal Government to stem the tide of insecurity in the country generally, saying “the insecurity in our country is really out of hand.”
According to him, “the way this young man died pulls a lot of questions. A story says he was knocked down by a vehicle.
“Another one says he was a machete and that is after 28 days of being missing and you discovered he was in the mortuary for over three weeks, staying in the mortuary.
“The story was not clearly taken by Nigerians. You saw ID cards on him and his death was publicized on TV and Radio, all sorts of media platforms and nobody in the hospital could identify him?
“I mean, it doesn’t add up at all. Something is fishy somewhere, and it is our prayers that the Federal Government looks into this matter to take it seriously otherwise, this is not the first time and may not be the last and who knows who’s next?
“I am seriously appealing that the federal government will do something about this unforgettable death of Tordue Salem.
“The insecurity in our country is really, really getting out of hand.”
Earlier in a requiem mass, a visiting priest from the Catholic Diocese of Kastina-Ala, Reverend Father Emmanuel Abur-Ngoigyor had charged Christians to always prepare to meet the lord whenever called upon.
According to him, “this death is a painful one, but notwithstanding we are celebrating today, of course, we are celebrating his life, nobody is celebrating the death of Henry, but we ought to be celebrating the life of Henry not because his death is a joyous one but his death has taught us a lesson.”
He changed those in the position of authorities to take the issue of insecurity in the country very serious as the sad situation was getting out of hand on a daily basis.
The Chairperson of the House of Representatives Press Corps, Grace Ike, who led her colleagues to the funeral ceremony described the incident as unbelievable.
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