Abba Kyari storms Benue, begins hunt for Ortom’s attackers

A Special Investigation Task Force set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammad Adamu, in continuation of ongoing investigation into to the reported attack and attempted murder of the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has arrived Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba on Sunday disclosed that the the Team, led by DCP Abba Kyari, consists of operatives from the Tactical Investigation Units of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) and other experienced, crack detectives with specialized competencies in crime scene investigation and reconstruction, ballistics, fingerprint analysis and other core areas of forensics.

According to Mba, “The Team is expected to take over and consolidate all on-going investigation into the incident. The Team is also expected to investigate all angles of the reported attack with a view to ensuring that all persons empirically linked to the incident are apprehended and brought to book.

“Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police has charged the team to be professional, thorough and clinical in their investigations. They are expected to liaise and work with the Benue State Police Command and other relevant members of the law enforcement community to ensure that they deliver on their mandate.” the statement read.

Governor Ortom was reportedly attacked by some yet to be identified gunmen while returning from his farm in Tyomu community along Makurdi-Gboko highway.

Some Nigerians took to social media to express doubts over the attack but Governor Ortom dismissed insinuations that he stage-managed the attack, saying it was not possible to do so as his security personnel comprised of people of Fulani, Hausa, and Yoruba tribes.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who hosted Governor Ortom last week at the State House, condemned the attack just as he warned against politicising it.