TheCable

The Nigeria police force have deployed a special investigative team in Benue to probe the recent attack on Samuel Ortom, the state governor.

The team, which has arrived the state, is led by Abba Kyari, a deputy commissioner of police and crack investigator.

Gunmen had reportedly opened fire on Ortom’s convoy while he was visiting a farm in Benue on March 20.

The governor accused “herders” of carrying out the attack which has been condemned by President Muhammadu Buhari as well as many Nigerians.

Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police (IGP), subsequently directed the state commissioner of police to “carry out painstaking investigations into the incident.”

In a statement on Sunday, Frank Mba, police spokesman, said the police investigative team deployed in the state will take over investigations into the incident.

“The Team, led by DCP Abba Kyari – a no-nonsense investigator – consists of operatives from the Tactical Investigation Units of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) and other experienced, crack detectives with specialized competencies in crime scene investigation and reconstruction, ballistics, fingerprint analysis and other core areas of forensics,” he said.

“The Team is expected to take over and consolidate all on-going investigation into the incident. The Team is also expected to investigate all angles of the reported attack with a view to ensuring that all persons empirically linked to the incident are apprehended and brought to book.”

The IGP also asked the team to be professional and thorough in their investigations.

“They are expected to liaise and work with the Benue State Police Command and other relevant members of the law enforcement community to ensure that they deliver on their mandate,” Mba said.