Thu. Nov 7th, 2024
The Police in Benue said a group of hoodlums on Monday, set ablaze the Gboko residence of former Benue governor, Late Aper Aku.
The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Sewuese Anene confirmed the incident to the Newsmen on Tuesday in Makurdi.
Anene, however, said that no further details were available at the time of going to press.
It may be recalls that Aku was governor of Benue from 1979 to 1984.
In a telephone interview, Miss Deborah Aku, the late governor’s daughter, said the police rescued six of them shortly before the hoodlums allegedly set the house on fire.
She said the entire house and property inside it  was razed down.
She said the whole issue began in March,  when one man came to the house with a cutlass and threatened to deal with them if his goat died again.
According to her, the man claimed that he was told that his goat died after drinking water from our house.
“My mum was not around, when she returned,  we informed her of what happened and she reported the matter to the police. When the police first came,  he resisted arrest only to be arrested few days after.
“When he was arrested, his father mobilised his people, numbering over 50 to our house that we kidnapped his son.
“While they were in our house, they destroyed somethings.   When the police arrived,  they arrested his father and later the matter was charged to court.
“The judge granted them bail last week Tuesday, adjourned the case to July 1, and directed that we try out of court settlement. They promised bringing their lawyer for the settlement meeting only for us to be attacked again,”she said.
She  further said that the new attack started from  7.a.m to 8.a.m in the morning of Monday,  adding that all the six occupants were trapped inside the house.
“Over 30 of them besieged out home. When we noticed that their visit was not friendly, we locked all the doors and called the police.
“Before the police arrived , they started destroying the house, killed our dog, broke  into the pig house and took all the pigs. They also destroyed our mother’s car.
“The police arrived and were able to rescue us.  We left with the police with only what we were putting on. While we were on our way with the police,  they set ablaze with everything inside.
“The police came in two trucks but the boys were many and even attacked them too.
“On Monday when the incident occured,  the police were only able to rescue us from  the house before it was burnt down. If not for them,  we would have probably being burnt inside the house. We were six inside the house.
“We are waiting for the police to carryout their investigations. We have also reported the matter to all  relevant authorities,  including the governor and Speaker of the Benue House of Assembly, because this is his constituency.” she said.
She further disclosed that the house had  no security officer attached to it.

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