The Nigerian police today disclosed that Benson Ayerite Eseni, an 87-year old uncle to former Governor Timpre Sylva of Bayelsa State, had been killed and buried in a shallow grave.
The police also paraded a 27-year old suspect in the abduction and murder of Mr. Eseni. The suspect hails from Gburutu town in Delta State.
Bayelsa State Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bello Ahmed, disclosed the gory findings about the former governor’s uncle while briefing reporters at the police headquarters in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State. He revealed that, following a tip-off, a combined team of security agents and officials from the Ministry of Health had made the gruesome discovery of Mr. Eseni’s body at a border town between Rivers and Bayelsa.
According to him, on getting to Kula village near the border, the team discovered a shallow grave where they excavated the remains of the late uncle to former Governor Sylva. Unknown gunmen had kidnapped Mr. Eseni on July 28, 2014.
Mr. Eseni was abducted from his residence in Okpoama town in Brass local government area. Local sources said the kidnappers had arrived in the community about 1 a.m. in a speedboat, shot into the air, and whisked away the 87-year old who retired from the army with the rank of a major.
Mr. Eseni’s corpse was deposited at the Federal Medical Center mortuary in Yenagoa for autopsy. The police spokesman stated that the body was now in the custody of senior pathologists from the health ministry who are currently conducting tests to determine the cause of the victim’s death.