•Deborah Aku, ex-Benue gov’s daughter, narrates attack on property
From Scholastica Hir Makurdi
• The burnt house
The family house of the Second Republic Governor of Banue State, the Late Aper Aku, in Agbile Akaahan Adi, Gboko Local Government, was recently set ablaze by hoodlums.
Daily Sun gathered that on the fateful day, touts and hoodlums numbering over 30, stormed the residential home and unleashed terror on the occupants and burnt down the property.
Witnesses believed that the arsonists would have burnt the entire members of the family trapped in the building if not for the quick intervention of the police. Daughter of the late governor, Deborah, explained that six members of the family were actually rescued before the house was finally set ablaze.
• Late Aper Aku
She recalled that the whole trouble started last month when one man came to their house with a cutlass and threatened to deal with them: “Our mother promptly alerted the police in Gboko and the matter was later charged to court. Just when we thought we had regained our lives, trouble broke out again.
“The fresh attack started about 7.00 am to 8. 00am on Monday. They came around and didn’t talk to anyone, over 30 of them. When we noticed that their visit was not friendly, we locked all the doors of our house and called the police.
•Charred remains of the building
“Before the police could arrive they had started destroying the house. They killed our dog, broke into the pig’s house and carted away all the pigs. They also destroyed our mother’s car.
“The police arrived on time and were able to rescue us out of the house. We left with the police with only what we were putting on. While we were on our way out with the police, the house was burnt with everything inside. The police came back in two trucks but the boys were many and even attacked them.
“The police were able to rescue us out of the house before it was burnt down. If not for them, we would have probably being burnt inside the house. We were six inside the house.
“We are waiting for the police to carry out their investigation. We have also reported the matter to all the relevant authorities including the governor and speaker because this is his constituency.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Catherine Anene, who confirmed the incident said police arrested a traditional ruler in the area in connection with the case. She admitted the trouble is an aged long conflict:
“What actually happened was that some youths went to the woman to ask her to add money to them for a property that was bought long ago.
“We gathered that they (the youths), sold land to her a long time ago when it was cheaper. Now the land has appreciated, they were insisting that the woman should add money to what she paid earlier for the land.
“That brought about some trouble that was managed. But as at that Monday, April 8, 2024, when they mobilised and went to attack the house, the police were called and when they arrived there, they were about burning that family in the house.
“The police concentrated in rescuing the family members, even a policeman was injured in the process. When they rescued them, they took them away but before the police could go back to the place, the house was burnt. It’s a gradual process and we will get to the root of it.”
Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Aondona Dajoh, vowed justice would be served to the family of the state’s first civilian gtovernor, Aper Aku. The Speaker, who visited the residence for an on-the-spot assessment insisted that the culprits must be punished:
“Violence and criminality have no place in Gboko LG under the current government.” He expressed shock at what he saw and how the youths intentionally destroyed the house with the motive to render the family homeless.
He advised residents to help the police by providing them with useful information that would lead to the arrest of those miscreants that committed the dastardly act.
The Speaker also visited the Police B Division, Gboko East, where he met with the DPO, Ikoli Osigimo and the family of Aper Aku. The Speaker, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Raphael Akume, pleaded with the widow of the former governor, Mary Iveren Aku, and the children to remain calm while pledging that gtovernment would look into the matter quickly and bring the miscreants to book.
Senior Special Assistant to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Youth Mobilization and Empowerment and State Youth Leader, Mkeenem Moses, condemned the attack on the former first family. He tasked security agencies to take urgent steps to stop further attacks within the community.
He requested the youth leaders in Gboko LG to work with the police to fish out those responsible for the attack. He said that while dialogue remained a permanent solution to conflict, legal means of addressing grievances must be encouraged rather than the current resort to destruction.