Ex-Benue PDP Chairman, Aondoakaa assassinated in cold blood

Gunmen have killed Aondoakaa Yayough, a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Commander of the Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Services (NHFSS) in Tarka Local Government Area of Benue State.

The tragic incident occurred on Friday night around 8pm at Wannune Market along the busy Makurdi-Gboko Road.

According to eyewitness accounts, the attackers arrived on a motorcycle, shooting Yayough at close range before fleeing the scene. They were reportedly shielded by two vehicles, whose occupants also fired sporadically into the air to scare off residents before escaping. The shocking murder caused panic in the area, with many initially mistaking it for an attack by suspected herdsmen.

Confirming the incident, Chief Joseph Har, Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security and Internal Affairs, revealed that local council officials and NHFSS members in Tarka confirmed it was a targeted assassination. He disclosed that Yayough had been living under threat following the murder of his wife in a similar fashion a year ago. Investigations suggest a lingering dispute with an ex-convict suspected of involvement in both incidents.

Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command clarified that the shooting was not a herdsmen attack as rumoured on social media. In a statement signed by the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Catherine Udeme Edet, the police confirmed that detectives swiftly responded to the scene and identified the suspected assassin as Saater Aii, an ex-convict who managed to escape after being disarmed by local security operatives. An AK-47 rifle used in the attack was recovered, and two other individuals injured during the incident are receiving treatment in hospital.

The state PDP Publicity Secretary, Tim Nyor, also confirmed the killing, describing it as a tragic loss, especially following the murder of Yayough’s wife last year.

Police authorities have urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation, assuring that efforts are ongoing to track down the fugitive and bring him to justice.