The Benue State Police Command has opened an investigation into the assassination of Mr Tavershima Adyorough, the Principal Special Assistant to Governor Samuel Ortom on Knowledge Economy and Investment.
Mr Adyorough had been shot and killed by gunmen in the early hours of Sunday at his BIPC Nyiman residence in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. His wife was also shot during the attack but she is being treated at a hospital.
While the police have yet to establish the motive for the attack, the killing is believed to be an assassination.
“I have visited the scene also and what I have seen there is nothing more than what you tried to say, assassination for now,” the state Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama, told Channels Television.
“We suspect so because nothing was removed and nobody was touched other than his wife who tried to defend him and got shot also.”
In the course of the investigation, the police would be looking to determine the motive for the attack and those behind it.
“Investigation has commenced. We need to know the motive for his death, why would he be killed since it is not robbery, and if it is a robbery, we will also find out,” Makama said.
“We have to identify what motive it is and in this case, it is an intelligence-led investigation.”
The police are also hopeful of piecing together relevant information from an analysis of Adyorough’s phones.
“We are analysing his phones for relevant information for the time being. His daughter was in the house as well in her own room while the mother is still at the intensive care, so she has to talk to us by the time she stabilised. The doctor has also confirmed to me that she is stable,” Makama added.
Meanwhile, Governor Ortom has condemned the killing and called on the police to swiftly investigate the murder and ensure that those responsible for the attack are caught and prosecuted.
His Chief Press Secretary, Mr Terver Akase, said the governor is “deeply saddened” by the incident as Adyorough was one of his most trusted aides – “a man who whenever he was given an assignment did his assignment diligently and selflessly”.
Adyorough is also believed to have anchored the state economic team.