RismadarVoice Reporters, June 6, 2026
The death of 17-year-old Sesugh Atser during an operation involving operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Makurdi, Benue State, has sparked controversy, with family members demanding justice and a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
While the teenager’s relatives insist he was innocent and unlawfully killed, security authorities maintain that he was an escaped suspect wanted in connection with an ongoing cybercrime investigation.
For Jennifer Asar, a 35-year-old single mother of five, the loss of her son remains a painful reality.
Speaking through tears, she said she has struggled to come to terms with the tragedy and has yet to see her son’s body.
“I have hardly slept since I heard about his death,” she said. “I still have not seen his corpse.”
According to her, she has been solely responsible for caring for her children through proceeds from her small garri business after separating from her husband.
Asar said she initially learned about her son’s death through rumours circulating within the community.
“People were talking about it, but no one informed me directly. When I finally confirmed what had happened, I was devastated,” she said.
She explained that she had not seen Sesugh for about two weeks before news of his death emerged, adding that one of his friends had come to take him away during that period.
The grieving mother described her son as a hardworking teenager who had dreams of returning to school despite financial difficulties.
“He would have turned 17 in December. He completed junior secondary school, but I could not afford to enrol him in senior secondary school,” she said.
“Recently, a school proprietor agreed to admit him and allow me to pay the fees in instalments. He was excited about continuing his education.”
According to her, Sesugh also worked occasionally at construction sites and was learning furniture making to support the family.
Asar further alleged that her son had previously told her he was arrested by EFCC operatives and later released, while his mobile phone was retained.
“He told me they asked him to raise N100,000 before his phone would be returned,” she claimed.
The distraught mother questioned allegations linking her son to fraud and insisted he was neither a cultist nor an internet fraudster.
“We could barely afford his school fees. I want them to tell the public how much money they claimed was in his account. My son was innocent,” she said.
She added that she had visited both the ‘B’ Division Police Station and the Benue State Police Headquarters in search of information but received little clarity regarding the incident.
“My son promised me he would make me proud. Whoever is responsible for his death must face justice,” she said.
A relative of the deceased, Mr Philip Udo, said family members visited the EFCC office seeking explanations.
According to him, officials informed them that Sesugh and two others had escaped from EFCC custody during a rainstorm before being tracked to a hotel in Makurdi.
“We were told that undercover operatives located the boys and that they allegedly opened fire when approached,” Udo said.
He, however, questioned the account provided by the agency.
“Residents in the area where he died told us there was no exchange of gunfire involving Sesugh,” he claimed.
According to Udo, eyewitnesses alleged that the teenager was shot in the chest and remained conscious for some time after the incident.
“We were told he cried out, telling the officer that he had been killed and asking for water,” he said.
He further alleged that residents intervened and insisted that the wounded teenager be taken for medical attention before he was eventually evacuated.
The proprietor of New Education Teaching Academy College, Mrs Mimidoo Aondongu, also expressed sadness over the incident.
She disclosed that Sesugh’s mother had approached the school earlier this year seeking admission for her son.
“His mother explained that financial hardship forced him out of school after junior secondary education,” she said.
“I agreed to admit him and allow payment in instalments because he appeared eager to learn and continue his education.”
According to her, the teenager had already begun attending preparatory classes and was consistent in his attendance until he suddenly stopped coming.
“It was only when I visited the family to find out why he had been absent that I learned about his death,” she said.
Aondongu described him as intelligent, determined and deserving of an opportunity to pursue his education.
Although the EFCC’s Makurdi Zonal Office has not issued an official statement, an official of the commission who spoke anonymously defended the operation.
The official said the teenager was among suspects who had escaped from detention and were being sought by authorities.
“He was an escapee from our custody and was wanted,” the source said.
“There was an exchange of gunfire, and we cannot conclusively determine whose bullet caused his death.”
The Benue State Police Command has also provided its version of events, describing Sesugh as a fugitive linked to an ongoing cybercrime investigation.
According to police, EFCC operatives arrested Sesugh Atser, James Onuh and Solomon Orhena on April 28, 2026, over alleged fraud and cybercrime offences.
Authorities said the suspects escaped from EFCC custody on May 4 and remained at large until intelligence reports indicated their presence at a hideout behind Mechanic Village in the Kanshio area of Makurdi on May 23.
Police stated that operatives encountered a group of armed youths suspected to be cult members upon arrival at the location.
According to the command, the group allegedly opened fire, leading to an exchange of gunfire before fleeing the scene.
The statement added that operatives later discovered Sesugh lying injured by the roadside and immediately transported him to the Police Cottage Hospital in Makurdi, where he was pronounced dead.
His remains were subsequently deposited at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital mortuary pending autopsy.
The Commissioner of Police has directed the Criminal Investigation Department to conduct a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
As conflicting accounts continue to emerge from family members, residents and security agencies, the death of Sesugh Atser has intensified public calls for accountability and an independent investigation.
Many observers argue that only a transparent inquiry can establish the true circumstances of the teenager’s death and determine whether proper procedures were followed during the operation.
For his grieving family, however, the focus remains on obtaining justice and answers to questions they believe have yet to be adequately addressed.
