If only he knew that the beads that he wore proudly on his neck and arm would single him out for mafia-style assassination, he would have avoided it like the plague.
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If only he knew that the beads that he wore proudly on his neck and arm would single him out for mafia-style assassination, he would have avoided it like the plague.
Late Celestine Agber, an ACN Chieftain and staunch supporter was a man well endowed with business acumen and a good dose of human relations. He used his acumen to succeed where others failed. Defying the attractions of urban life, Agber chose to live and do business in Ugbah, the Local Government headquarters of Logo in Benue State. He set up a micro-finance operation which became the epicenter of all commercial activities in Ugbah.
His assimilation and adaptation to life in Ugbah garnered him the respect and clout of the locals. He truly liked his adopted home, and gave his all for Ugbah. Although he hails from Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State, Agber invested hugely in agriculture, property and micro-finance loans that benefitted citizens of Ugbah.
In 2007 he supported Gov. Gabriel Torwua Suswam and this won him the governor's personal recognition and admiration. Suswam's failure to develop Ugbah his own local government headquarters but instead adorned his nearby village of Gaambe with the good things of life brought friction between Gaambe and Ugondo, where Agber resided.
In 2011 when Prof. Ugbah, an Ugondo man joined the race for governor, naturally most Ugondo people queued up behind him. Agber who had resided in Ugondo for over three decades had no choice but to follow the lead of his Ugondo hosts. This was the beginning of his troubles with the government in power.
The ACN firmly took advantage of Suswam's failure and soon the message of change spread like wild fire throughout Benue State. Logo, the home of both PDP and ACN candidates became the epicenter of political activity. ACN developed a traditional style of leadership and even evolved a hierarchical structure akin to the Tiv traditional culture, represented by beads.
Following the structure, Agber was a natural choice to head the party activities. He became the de-facto Tor Party or Chief of ACN politics in Ugbah. This singular act attracted the ire of the traditional ruler of Logo, a consummate politician and PDP stalwart himself, who complained bitterly of the desecration of the traditional institution and clear usurpation of his traditional authority. Agber's financial standing gave him a clear advantage over the traditional ruler as he often held court and resolved thorny issues to the admiration of locals.
As the traditional ruler of Logo became restive, government house also became concerned about the soaring fortunes of ACN propelled by late Agber's political and business activities. When the traditional ruler complained to the paramount ruler the Tor Tiv, the Tor Tiv asked him to seek audience with the state governor and explain the details to him. He finally secured a meeting with the state governor who directed Conrad Wergba, Benue's death merchant and commissioner for Information. Conrad took charge of monitoring, planning and reporting to the Governor. A killer squad of young thugs was organized and funded by government house. In the meeting chaired by Conrad, it was agreed that Agber's business be rattled in a way that would provoke him to react.
In the days leading up to the execution, some of the young men went to government house Makurdi and returned with hard currencies, and went on a spending spree. A concerned citizen alerted the DPO to question the young men to explain their sudden wealth, only for the DPO to call him and hand him hundred dollar bill. The DPO confided in this concerned citizen that the boys gave him 200 USD.
A week later the same group were invited to Makurdi and later returned with another cache of cash and beer flooded Ugbah town all night. The next day, the boys gave the DPO a cash gift of two hundred thousand naira, out of which he gave the concerned citizen 50 thousand naira. When he asked again, the DPO asked him simply to be a cheerful receiver.
A few days passed and Agber's tipping truck was set on fire by the group in broad daylight and although the culprits were identified, the police failed to make any arrests.
The thugs warned Agber to relocate to his local government to avoid being sent back in a casket. Worried by the threats and the failure of the police to arrest the culprits, Agber went to the police to lodge a report that would be his "farewell address" to the police.
On October 13, Agber and his visiting relative were shot dead by "unknown" gunmen. The town was awoken by shouts from Agber’s home. Neighbors who rushed to offer help only came to find the duo in a pool of blood.
These are the names of Gov. Suswam’s high executioner, Commissioner Conrad Wergba’s killer squad involved in the murder of Celestine Agber and his cousin:
1. Tersoo Ambakya
2. Terzulum Nase
3. Gberindyer
4. Donald Akwer
5. Alhaji Orndiir
6. Joe B
7. Terwase Akume
8. Teryange Akume
9. Gwa Ukar
10. Sam Jiji
11. Terwase Chikor
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