Following an attempt to assassinate the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Aondona Hycenth Dajoh, police authorities in the state have arrested two suspects including a local government chairman.
The development was confirmed by the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement he made available late Monday.
The statement reads, “Preliminary investigations revealed that the Local Government Chairman allegedly contracted a militia with the sinister intention of eliminating the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Aondona Hycenth Dajoh. The operatives of the Force Intelligence Department – Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) swiftly swung into action upon receiving credible intelligence regarding the planned assassination,” Force spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi said in a Monday statement.
“Both suspects are currently in police custody and are actively cooperating with investigators in the ongoing inquiry. The Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in its commitment to upholding the safety and security of citizens and public officials.”
In a different development, a 65-year-old widow and retired nurse, Esther Amali, and her maid, Mercy, have both been killed in their apartment in Makurdi, Benue State.
The incident was said to have happened on Sunday, January 14.
It was gathered that the assailant stormed their apartment and stabbed 20-year-old Mercy several times.
Narrating the incident, the deceased’s sister, Grace Onuhi, explained that her sister (Amali) rushed out from her bedroom, upon hearing Mercy scream.
Unfortunately, she was also murdered.
“She (Amali) was inside. She was a very calm person. She doesn’t have problem with anyone. The housegirl was in the kitchen that fateful day by 4 pm and the notorious person jumped through the fence, and stabbed the housegirl. She (Amali) was inside her bedroom. Hearing the shout of the housegirl, she (Amali) came outside and shouted what was happening and the same person stabbed her too to death.
“The person that stabbed them left a knife. The police came and picked up the knife,” she said.
It was however learnt that the suspect had earlier threatened to punish Mercy for some unknown reasons.