From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Five suspects are currently in police net for allegedly torturing a middle aged man, to death over a missing goat in Ushongo Local Government area of Benue State.
Sources from the area told newsmen that trouble started when the goat owner consulted an oracle over his missing goat during which the oracle man reportedly pointed accusing finger at the deceased who was the youngest sibling of the Ordue Akume family.
According to our source, all efforts to get the deceased to confess to stealing the goat failed, a development which made the youths to torture him mercilessly amid pleas by neighbours and passers-by to halt the torture.
It was further gathered that when the youths noticed that life was almost going of the deceased, they quickly rushed him to a clinic where he gave up the ghost.
“When they were told that he had died, the youths abandoned his corpse at the clinic and ran away,” a source who did not want to be named disclosed.
However, Chairman of the Council, Joseph Asawa, on recieving the report, was said to have rushed to the scene where he directed that the suspects be arrested.
The Council Chairman who expressed shock at the barbaric act was said to have joined the police and traditional rulers to effect the arrest of some culprits who are now in police net.
Asawa also reportedly visited the clinic where the corpse was abandoned and moved it to General Hospital, Lessel morgue for further necessary action.
Contacted, Police Public Relations Officer PPRO DSP Catherine Anene who confirmed the report said the five suspects have already been moved to the State Police Command in Makurdi for further investigation.