By Martin Iyonguvihi
A Makurdi Chief Magistrate Court, presiding over the coroner inquest into the BIRS staff, late Sixtus Akure, allegedly murdered by soldiers of 72 Battalion, Makurdi, Benue State has adjourned to April 6 for continuation of hearing.
At the resumed hearing Friday, Counsel to BIRS, Mike Utsaha, applied for an adjournment to enable them call four more witnesses to round up their testimony.
Among those to be called, he said, are Aondohemba Ukan and Msughter Ibaba, whom he said their personal identity will be dispensed of, and as such pleaded with the Magistrate that their testimonies should be taken off camera and in the inner chamber.
Others to testify in open court are the Chief Medical Director, Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, and the Chief Security Adviser to the Governor of Benue State, Col. Paul Hemba (Rtd).
Ruling on the matter, the Magistrate, Vincent Kor Esq. adjourned to April 6 for continuation of hearing.
At the last hearing held on March 22, 2022, the Benue state Commissioner of Police, Wale Abass and eight other BIRS staff testified before the coroner of the soldier’s involvement in the death of late Mr Akure.
The Voice had reported that persons suspected to be military personnel on January 16 2022 had allegedly abducted and murdered a tax collector and Senior Inspector of Taxes with the Benue State Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, Mr Sixtus Akure in Makurdi.
The Voice reported that Akure was abducted from his duty post at about 11pm Saturday, January 16, 2022 at a gazetted BIRS inspection point located close to the ‘C’ Division of the Benue State Police Command in the North Bank area of Makurdi town.
The remains of Akure were discovered by the roadside on Sunday, January 17, 2022 at Yagba community, close to Ape Aku Housing Estate in North Bank of Makurdi.