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The Benue State House of Assembly on Monday condemned in strong terms the abduction and subsequent murder of a traditional leader in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, describing the incident as a painful reminder of the worsening insecurity gripping communities in the Sankera axis.
The victim, Chief Sugther Agamber, the Kindred Head of Mbajiir in Tongov, was reportedly abducted by suspected gunmen on Friday at Kam Village. His lifeless body was discovered in a nearby bush on Saturday morning, sparking widespread fear and outrage among residents.
Raising the matter during plenary, Hon. Bemdodoo Ipusu (APC/Katsina-Ala) moved a motion calling for urgent security intervention. He recalled that the Assembly had repeatedly debated the rising insecurity across Benue State, particularly in Sankera communities such as Katsina-Ala, Ukum, and Logo.
Hon. Ipusu noted that local authorities—including the Tor Sankera, the Ter Katsina-Ala, and the chairmen of Katsina-Ala and Ukum Local Government Areas—had made frantic efforts to secure the monarch’s release after the abduction was reported. However, those efforts ended in tragedy with the discovery of his body the following day.
The lawmaker described the killing of a traditional ruler as a disturbing shift in the activities of criminal gangs, who now target community leaders. He added that many residents of Kam community had begun fleeing their homes for fear of further attacks.
Supporting the motion, Hon. Michael Audu (APC/Adoka-Ugboju) urged security agencies to intensify operations, while Hon. Simon Gabo (APC/Mata) called for additional security checkpoints along the Ugbemama-Ikov-Jato Aka axis.
In his ruling, Speaker Alfred Embergera directed the House Committee on Security and Chieftaincy Affairs to liaise with security agencies and report back to the Assembly on March 17. He also urged the police, Department of State Services (DSS), and Civil Defence Corps to collaborate in tracking down and prosecuting the perpetrators.
The incident has heightened anxiety in the affected areas and renewed calls for decisive action to address the persistent insecurity troubling parts of Benue State. No official statement has been issued by security agencies at the time of this report.
