The Benue State Police Command presented four suspects in the murder of retired Justice Margaret Igbetar, former President of the Benue State Customary Court of Appeal, to journalists on Tuesday in Makurdi.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Bartholomew Onyeka, informed reporters that the suspects admitted to murdering the jurist due to a dispute over family inheritance. It was reported that the decomposed body of retired Justice Igbetar was discovered in her kitchen on August 24, bearing deep wounds on her back.
Onyeka further stated that, in connection to her brutal murder, the police apprehended Joseph Aondohemba, who is her nephew.
“The suspect confessed to have planned and recruited other people to help him to kill his aunty and led a team of detectives to Adikpo in Kwande Local Government Area where two others were arrested.”
“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 stated that the four suspects will face charges once the investigation is concluded.
Onyeka also informed the press that from July to September, the Benue police arrested 85 individuals in connection with various crimes including kidnapping, armed robbery, culpable homicide, cultism, rape, and illegal possession of firearms.
During this period, the police recovered 12 locally-made pistols, four AK47 rifles, four single and double-barrel guns, along with 160 rounds of ammunition and four cartridges.
Onyeka assured the public that the police are actively working to secure the release of Mr. Mathew Abo, Benue’s Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, who was recently abducted.