Ex-PDP Chairman Assassinated In Benue One Year After Wife’s Murder

A former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman and Commander of the Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Services (NHFSS) in Tarka Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Aondoakaa Yayough, has been assassinated by gunmen.

Yayough was reportedly murdered Friday night at about 8pm at Wannune Market along Makurdi-Gboko Road by armed men who went after him on motorbikes and cars one year after his wife was gruesomely killed by gunmen in a similar fashion.

His murder sparked pandemonium in the community as people ran for their lives, wrongly claiming that the community had been invaded by armed herdsmen.

Confirming the attack, Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, disclosed that the Tarka Local Government Council Chairman and members of the NHFSS in the LGA confirmed to him that the assassins came on a bike and shot their victim at close range, after which they fled.

He said, “It was an assassination of the Commander of the Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Services NHFSS, Aondoakaa Yayough.

“They came on a bike and shot him at close quarters and fled. After shooting him, they fired sporadically to scare others and then fled on a bike. They were shielded by two cars also firing sporadically to scare away people.

“Sketchy investigation showed that a criminal that attacked and killed the deceased wife and burnt his house was sent to prison. On his return, both of them had been chasing each other until this happened.”

The State Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, Tim Nyor, also confirmed the murder, saying the victim’s wife was also killed last year.

The Benue State Police Command, in a statement captioned “Setting the Records Straight” by its Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent DSP Udeme Edet, explained that the statement became necessary to clarify “the misleading information circulating on social media about the imagined herdsmen attack on Wannune in Tarka LGA.”

According to the Command, on Friday night at about 8pm “information was received by the Police that one Aondohemba Yayough was shot dead along Akume Road in Wannune, Tarka LGA.

“Swiftly a team of detectives was deployed to the area. Upon arrival, some persons within the area identified the assassin to be one Saater Aii, said to be an ex-convict.

“The suspect was disarmed by local security. Though he managed to escape. Two other persons who were injured at the scene were taken to the hospital, where they are responding to treatment.

“Detectives are on the trail of the fleeing felon. An AK-47 rifle used in the attack has been recovered by the police. Investigation is ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect.

“Members of the public are advised to be cautious of misinformation and rely on credible sources for information because there was no report of herdsmen attack in Wannune.”