Ms Jennifer Atsar, a 35-year-old mother, talks to JOHN CHARLES about the sorrow she feels at losing her son Sesugh, 16, to the alleged murder in Makurdi on May 23, 2026, at the hands of officers from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Why don’t you tell me who you are?
Hi, I’m Jennifer Atsar. I reside in Kanshio, Makurdi, and I am 35 years old. The EFCC assassinated my son, Sesugh, and I am his mother.
Tell me about yourself.
My speciality is frying and selling garri. Sesugh pitched up whenever he could on building sites, and I used the money to support my kids.
What is the number of your children?
The first of my five children, Sesugh, was born to me. On December 26th, this year, he would have become 17 years old; he was 16 years and a few months old when he was murdered.
Can you tell me what your son was up to prior to the unfortunate event?
I was living here with my son. In addition to his studies at Makurdi’s New Educational Teaching Academic College, he was also taking furniture-making classes. He was expected to go to SSS 1 from JSS 3.
If he had the means, he would have continued on farther. He supplemented our family’s income (which was mostly mine) by doing odd jobs most of the time. Additionally, he went to the class where he learned how to build furniture.
Rumour has it that the EFCC detained your son and two others for several days before he managed to get away. What are your thoughts on this accusation?
My fifth child was sick, and I was at the hospital with the child, so I was not at home when he was allegedly arrested. Sesugh returned later to report his release, but they had confiscated his phone and demanded that he locate N100,000 before they would let him use it.
What followed next?
He was staying at home with me on that tragic day, but his friend dropped by, and out they went. A neighbour came racing over a few hours later to tell me that someone had murdered my son.
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In what ways did your kid meet his tragic end?
According to what I’ve heard, two EFCC men dressed as muftis summoned my son’s buddy to meet them at a hotel near the neighbourhood where the EFCC officials were staying.
Sesugh dismounted, unlocked the gate, and my son and his buddy rode inside the hotel as soon as they arrived on their motorcycles. When one of the EFCC officers saw them, he pulled a revolver. My youngster reportedly bolted at the sight of the rifle. They pursued him and opened fire on him from close quarters.
End of the Day
Locals demanded that the EFCC accompany the corpse as soon as my son was shot, but the authorities wanted to flee. As he gasped for air, my son was even yelling out the name of the cop who had shot him.
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He begged for water, but the locals insisted on transporting him to the Makurdi police headquarters in a vehicle they had ordered.
Upon learning of your son’s death, did you go to the EFCC office or the police headquarters?
Unfortunately, my visits to the state police command and the B Division Police Station yielded no useful information. Some individuals later claimed that an EFCC official was responsible for my son’s death, but I had no idea that the EFCC was involved at all.
The corpse remains in the custody of the EFCC. I still haven’t laid eyes on his body. I have not met them, and they have not even sent me a message.
Just two days prior to his passing, my son informed me that he had been apprehended by the EFCC, who subsequently released him without finding any evidence against him. The time of his murder was not in their custody because he was out on bond.
Could you please tell me what the EFCC agent said your son did wrong?
Later, he went to the EFCC office with one of my sisters, a few neighbours, and his oga (boss), from the place where he was learning furniture-making. According to the state office chief, his undercover agents arrived at the site of the crime and immediately began accusing my son and his companion of attempting to shoot the police officers.
I pondered, “How on earth could that have occurred?” There must not be a firearm in my son’s possession. Where did you get the information? (How) According to the individuals that accompanied the EFCC representatives, their supervisor informed them that Sesugh confessed to having an OPay account and participating in fraud in a written confessional statement.
Did the EFCC level any more claims against your son, who passed away?
In addition to drug sales, I was informed that my son was also a cultist and that he had posed as a woman on Facebook. All these accusations were made up, in my opinion, to cover up the murder of my kid.
My son’s character is something that everyone in our community can confirm. His demeanour was laid-back.
My son was allegedly caught and then fled from their care, according to the persons that visited there. What gave rise to such possibility? According to my son, he was detained on his way home from work, but he was eventually let free. However, his phone was confiscated, and he was ordered to get N100,000 before it could be restored to him.
An OPay account was all this young man had. The EFCC officers’ claims that he managed a big bank account without a Bank Verification Number are unfounded.
He had never been and never would be a criminal. He would help me take care of his siblings with any money he made. His character can be attested to by anyone you ask throughout our town.
To what end are you pleading with the state?
I have not yet laid eyes on his body as I speak with you today. I was assisting this man with his siblings’ care because of the odd occupations he did for a living. He worked odd jobs to help support me while he wasn’t at the workshop.
Take a look at our humble abode (a mud hut). Whenever I needed someone to talk to after I sobbed, my son was there for me. No matter what, he assured me that things will get better in the end, thanks to God. However, the officers from the EFCC have now dashed such hopes. My son was killed by them.
I beg them to let my son’s body lie in peace. My son deserves justice. The cop responsible for shooting him need to be held accountable. Officers from the EFCC who shot my son allegedly heard him yelling the officer’s name.