A former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Tarka Local Government Area of Benue State, Aondoakaa Yaiyol, was shot and killed by gunmen on Friday night.
Before his death, Yaiyol served as the local commander of the Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Services (NHFSS). His assassination marks a second personal tragedy within a year, as his wife was reportedly murdered in a similar manner last year and their home set ablaze.
The Benue State PDP Publicity Secretary, Tim Nyior, confirmed the killing during a phone interview, noting that Yaiyol was a former party leader in Tarka before his recent role in forest security.
Confirming the incident, Chief Joseph Har, the Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security and Internal Affairs, described the killing as a targeted attack. “It was clearly an assassination,” he said. “They arrived on a motorcycle, shot him at close range, and fled. Two vehicles provided cover by firing into the air to disperse witnesses.”
Preliminary investigations suggest a connection to the earlier murder of Yaiyol’s wife. According to Har, the suspected killer of his wife had been imprisoned and was recently released. Both men were reportedly in conflict before the latest attack occurred.
Benue State Police spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, also confirmed the incident, stating that law enforcement officers had tracked the prime suspect to a hideout, but he managed to escape before arrest.
According to Edet, the police are intensifying efforts to track down and arrest the suspect.
