How CCT judge narrowly escaped abduction in Benue

A member of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Justice William Adteze, narrowly escaped death when bandits attacked his country home in Benue State.

His kinsmen were however not as lucky as four of them were slaughtered by the marauders. Narrating how the unfortunate incident happened, Hon. Mike Adteze told The Nation in an exclusive interview that Justice William Adteze was home in Ngibo village, Katsina Ala local Local government area in Benue state for Easter holiday.

Mike, a former chairman of Katsina Ala L.G.A, said Justice Adteze who was in the village with his wife, suddenly changed his mind about spending the night and drove back to his base. “Same night, armed bandits numbering over 20 stormed his farm house and slaughtered four persons. The armed men also made away with 28 cows in the farm house belonging to the CCT judge.” He further stated that while the bandits were escaping, they came across a bus driver and slaughtered him before making away with his vehicle.

“On their way they killed four other persons bringing total number of people killed to eleven,” he added. The Nation gathered the killings sparked bloody unrest in Kstsina Ala town, the headquarters of Katsina Ala Local Government Area. The town was engulfed in another round of killings which led to total a breakdown of law and order. The killings and burning of houses continued until the Benue State government imposed a 24hour curfew on the town. Governor Samuel Ortom who was on leave cut short his vacation in China and returned home to tackle the situation

Ortom blamed the killings on criminal elements within the Sankera geo-political axis and called on security agencies to apprehend anyone found tomenting trouble. Meanwhile soldiers have been deployed in the area to contend the situation. Normalcy is gradually returning to the area.