By Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi
The police in Benue State are investigating two secondary school dropouts described by the force as notorious kidnappers. The arrest of the two suspects has led to the discovery of a mass grave in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area where they buried their deceased victims.
Twenty-three-year-old Aondoaseer Terseer a.k.a. Bob Tsetse and his 22-year-old partner, Orkashima David a.k.a. Cash-money, were arrested in Osun State where they had fled to after their alleged killing, kidnapping and armed robbery activities carried out in Mbamon, Tavachan and Michiche wards of Katsina-Ala LGA.
The two suspects, regarded as members of a ten-man syndicate, took policemen round to uncover shallow graves as well as dry or abandoned wells where they buried their deceased victims to conceal their nefarious activities.
Among the six decomposing bodies uncovered were those of three males and three females, two of whom were said to be the suspects’ own wives they killed by themselves in January and April this year.
Among the victims whose decomposing bodies were recovered from the dry wells were Hon. John Nyitamen, Madam Catherine Akiishi and Aondoverb Fidelix, while the bodies of the suspects’ wives were found in shallow graves.
Asked why they killed their wives, Terseer said he threw a piece of wood at his wife during an argument and it pierced her neck while David said his wife’s death was instigated by his father who called security agents over an allegation that his wife was trying to burn his (father’s) house.
David said with the help of two other members of their gang, they killed his wife and buried her in a shallow grave.
A Chief Superintendent of Police, Gberindyer, who confirmed the arrest of the suspects, said that efforts were on to arrest the suspect’s father who allegedly instigated his son to kill his wife.
The suspects gave the names of some of their gang members as Umangu Ihuman alias Aka, Agwe alias Banga, Aondover Ihom alias D’ver, Luper and Yaryon alias Snake. They, however, said that four other members of the gang had been killed.
The suspects also claimed to be working for ‘Azonto’, a former second in command to the notorious Benue militia Gana, who is believed to be responsible for many of the kidnappings and killing of security agents in the Sankera axis of the state.
The Deputy Chairman of Katsina-Ala Local Government Council, Hon. Agba Thomas, said justice would be served in respect of the two suspects believed to have made life unbearable and farming activities impossible in their sphere of operation, adding that this would bring succor to families who had long been searching for the remains of their loved ones.
The Public Relations Officer of the Benue State Police Command, Catherine Anene, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the two suspects were in their custody and would be prosecuted once investigation was concluded as the new Commissioner of Police, Audu Madaki, has vowed to fish out all criminal elements constituting threats to lives and property in the state.
