The suspect in the killing of Professor Gabriel Saawua Nyityó and his younger brother, John, was reportedly arrested in Nasarawa State after what authorities described as a routine security check.
According to accounts circulating after the incident, the victims were allegedly killed on Wednesday night in Makurdi, Benue State.
The suspect, identified as Abdullahi Usman, was said to have boarded an early morning commercial bus on Thursday, heading towards Lafia, Nasarawa State.
His journey was cut short at an NDLEA checkpoint, where officers stopped the vehicle for routine screening. During questioning, Usman reportedly told officers he was returning from visiting a relative in Makurdi.
However, suspicion was raised after officers searched his bag and allegedly found four Android phones.
When asked why he was carrying multiple devices, Usman reportedly claimed they all belonged to him.
The explanation reportedly failed to convince the officers, who subjected the phones to further scrutiny. Usman was allegedly unable to unlock three of the devices, including one that was later traced to a neighbour of the slain professor.
Investigators reportedly called a contact saved as “Mama” on one of the phones.
The woman who answered allegedly identified herself as the mother of the phone’s owner and explained that her son had left the device overnight at Professor Nyityó’s residence to charge because there was no electricity at their home.
She reportedly added that when her son returned the following morning to retrieve the phone, he discovered that the professor and his brother had been killed.
The revelation immediately heightened suspicion, leading NDLEA officers to detain the suspect before handing him over to security agencies. Reports further claimed that Usman attempted to escape custody after allegedly freeing himself from handcuffs but was quickly rearrested and transferred to the Department of State Services (DSS).
Further checks reportedly indicated that two of the recovered phones belonged to Professor Nyityó and his younger brother, strengthening investigators’ case.
The suspect, said to be from Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, is expected to assist investigators as authorities continue probing the circumstances surrounding the killings.
Authorities are yet to issue a comprehensive official statement confirming all the details of the account, while investigations remain ongoing.
