[News] Decomposed corpse of kidnapped Catholic priest’s father exhumed from shallow grave in Benue

Men of the Benue Joint security team, Operation Zenda, led by CSP Justine Gberindyer, have recovered the decomposed body of a 74-year- old retired school principal, Mr. Simon Peter Ngupila Ankau, who was abducted and buried in a shallow grave by kidnappers.

Late Ankau, who was the biological father of a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Jacob Terkaa Ankau, the Parish Priest of St. Peter’s Parish Ayati in Ukum LGA of Benue State, was kidnapped on April 18, 2023 at Chito town.

Mr Ankau reportedly could not survive the trauma that came with the kidnapping and passed out a few days with the kidnappers and was buried in a shallow grave.

The kidnappers still asked for a ransom from the family and when the wife and son took the ransom to them they also held them hostage.

Men of Operation Zenda had earlier in May 2023 searched and rescued the wife and his son who went to pay the ransom.

The continuous search for Mr. Simon led the men of Operation Zenda to discover the shallow grave where he was buried in Gaya village border town between Ukum and Katsina-Ala local government on Thursday, August 10, 2023.

The body was handed over to the family and security cover was provided for the subsequent internment of the remains at Chito town in Ukum LGA of the state.

Meanwhile, the commander of Operations Zenda, CSP. Gberindyer, has reiterated the Benue state government’s commitment to zero tolerance of any form of criminality and said there can never be room for any criminal or his activities in Benue state