BENUE: Again gunmen strike in Makurdi, kill retired DIG’s wife

THE State Police Command has confirmed the assassination of Eunice Aghanya, wife of retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Ibe Aghanya.

According to a statement from the police, Eunice was killed yesterday by gunmen whose identities were yet to be known as of press time.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, said the deceased was killed  at her Makurdi residence, behind Kismet Hotel.Anene added that investigations into the incident were ongoing.

Ibe Aghanya, the deceased’s husband, served as Commissioner of Police in both  Benue and Ekiti States and later became DIG in charge of zone 2.

It was gathered that yesterday’s attack was not the first time gunmen would attack the Aghanya’s residence in Benue; they had earlier attacked the residence in 2008 when Ibe Aghanya was a Commissioner of Police in Kogi State.

Aghanya’s wife’s murder came less than two weeks after gunmen killed Terkula, brother to Gabriel Suswam, former governor of Benue state, during an attack which occurred on March 2.

His aide, Solomon, was also killed by the gunmen when they were attacked at Terkula’s hometown in Anyiin LGA of Benue.

“At about 1930hrs, information was received that while Dr Terkula Suswam and his aide, Mr Solomon, sat opposite his house at Elohim Plaza, Anyiin to supervise repairs at the said plaza, yet-to-be-identified gunmen, who drove in a Toyota Camry vehicle, attacked and shot him and his aide,” Anene had said in a statement.

Terkula was buried yesterday. 

His burial was attended by Governor Samuel Orton who vowed that his administration would no longer negotiate with criminals.

He said, ““From intelligence report, some members of the community are supporting these criminals which makes it difficult for security men.

“I want to assure youths in the state not only in Sankera that we are going to go after these criminals and by the grace of God we will get them.

“There is no more amnesty, no more negotiation with them (criminals) except they come back like the prodigal son and plead for forgiveness.”