Benue State Police paraded four suspects believed to be involved in the murder of retired Justice Margaret Igbetar, the former President of the Benue Customary Court of Appeal. The suspects were presented before the media on Tuesday in Makurdi.
According to Mr. Bartholomew Onyeka, the Commissioner of Police in the state, the suspects confessed to their involvement in the murder and revealed that it was motivated by a dispute over family inheritance.
The decomposing body of retired Justice Igbetar was discovered in her kitchen on August 24, bearing deep wounds.
The police investigation led to the arrest of one Joseph Aondohemba, the deceased’s nephew, who reportedly confessed to planning the murder and recruiting others to assist him.
He also guided detectives to Adikpo in Kwande Local Government Area, where two additional suspects were apprehended.
These suspects were identified as Igbazenda Gbidye, aged 63, and Dzungwenen Ukor, aged 40.
Commissioner Onyeka provided insight into the suspects’ motivations, stating, “These suspects admitted that Aondohemba reported to them that his father died and left a lot of property in the hands of his aunty (the deceased), and she had refused to hand the said property over to him. They agreed to join him in eliminating her so he could have access to his property.”
Another individual, identified as Akuhwa Barnabas, aged 32 and the deceased’s driver, corroborated the suspects’ statements.
He confessed to providing the gang with access to the house and overseeing the gate while they carried out the murder.
The four suspects are currently in police custody and will face legal proceedings after the completion of the investigation.
