Police Arrest Killers of Female Justice in Benue

•Force, PCRC, others unite against criminality in Rivers

George Okoh in Makurdi and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Police in Benue State have arrested and paraded four suspects in connection with the murder of Justice Margaret Igbetar rtd, who was killed in August 2023.

The State Commissioner of Police (Compol), Bartholomew Onyeka, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Makurdi, yesterday, said the suspects had since confessed to the crime.

The decomposing body of Justice Igbetar was found with deep cults on her back inside her kitchen on Aug. 24, and the police consequently arrested one Joseph Aondohemba, her nephew.

“The suspect confessed to have planned and recruited other people to help him kill his aunty and led a team of detectives to Adikpo in Kwande Local Government Area, where two others were arrested,” the CP said.

“The two arrested at Adikpo were Igbazenda Gbidye (63) and Dzungwenen Ukor (40). These suspects admitted that Aondohemba reported to them that his father died and left a lot of property in the hands of his aunty (the deceased) and she had refused to hand the said property over to him. They agreed to join him in eliminating her so he could have access to his property.

“One Akuhwa Barnabas (32), driver to the deceased, corroborated their statements and admitted that he gave the gang access to the house and manned the gate until they finished the assassination process,” Onyeka said.

The police commissioner added that the four suspects would be arraigned after the completion of investigation.

He told  newsmen that between July and September, police in Benue arrested 85 persons in connection with kidnapping, armed robbery, culpable homicide, cultism, rape and unlawful possession of firearms.

The police recovered 12 locally-made pistols, four AK47 riffles, four single and double barrel guns, 160 ammunitions and four cartridges, during the period, he said.

Onyeka assured the people that police would soon secure the release of Benue Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Mathew Abo, who was kidnapped recently

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) and other stakeholders have officially launched the “Rivers Zero Crime”, an initiative that united all stakeholders in the fight against crime and criminality in the state.

Speaking during the launch held in Port Harcourt, yesterday, the Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi, said the programme was aimed at reducing crime to zero level in the state, adding that it could only be achieved by concerted effort.

He stated that some of the suspects linked to the killing of SP Bako Angbashim (Ahoada Divisional Police Officer) were arrested was as a result of credible information given to the police by residents of the state.

In his remarks, state Chairman of PCRC, Mr Voke Emore, said zero crime was possible if the people could partner the police.