Two houses belonging to a wanted suspected kidnapper and armed robber known as Aondofa Cephas Chekele, alias Azonto, were on Monday demolished on the orders of the Benue State Government.
Azonto, who is second in command to the slain Benue militia warlord, Terwase Akwaza, alias Gana, was killed by the military on September 8, 2020.
The demolition of the houses located at North Bank in Makurdi was carried out under the Benue state law of anti-kidnapping 2017, signed by Governor Samuel Ortom.
The law was signed along with the Benue state anti-open grazing Law in 2017 provides punishment for Adoption, hostage-taking, kidnapping, secret cult and other related offences, 2017.
The first House, which is located off Federal Housing Estate, Phase 1, Nortbank, is a four-bedroom apartment, and the second house located within the same area is a two-bedroom flat belonging to Azonto were pulled down in the presence of staff of Urban Development Board and Azonto’s neighbours.
It was gathered that men of the police team codenamed Operation Zenda JTF, acting on tip off, had earlier picked one of Azonto’s main men, Torlumun Steven and his (Azonto) first wife, Mwuese in Benue state.
They were arrested with millions of naira meant for buying arms and ammunition and properties for Azonto who, allegedly, operated from his hideouts, somewhere in the forest and committed all manner of criminal acts.
Both Torlumun and Mwuese were said to have led the commander of Operation Zenda JTF, CSP Justine Gberindyer and other police officers to the two houses.
They were said to have confessed that the houses were used as a kidnapping den, where Azonto hides his victims and negotiates ransom.
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