Ortom asks security agencies to probe ‘suspicious’ death of Vanguard reporter

Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, has asked the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to probe the death of Tordue Salem, a reporter with Vanguard newspaper.

Salem, a reporter covering the house of representatives, was found dead in the federal capital territory (FCT) on Thursday weeks after he was declared missing.

The reporter is said to have been killed by a hit-and-run driver whom the police say they have in custody.

In a statement on Friday, Nathaniel Ikyur, chief press secretary to the governor, quoted Ortom as saying the recovery of the corpse of the reporter is “suspicious and deserves to be thoroughly investigated”.

“Governor Samuel Ortom, on behalf of the Benue State Government, expresses shock over the circumstances surrounding the death of Tordue Henry Salem who was declared missing a few weeks ago,” Ikyur said.

“The governor says he was pained how the former Vanguard reporter suddenly disappeared but was found dead by unidentified persons in an undisclosed location in Abuja.

“He says such a mysterious recovery of the body of the deceased reporter was suspicious and deserves to be thoroughly investigated.

“The governor appeals to the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS) and other sister agencies to do everything possible to unravel the mystery surrounding the gruesome murder of the Benue-born journalist.”