OPERATIVES of the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Mkor Aondona, the Special Adviser to Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia on Documentation, Research, and Planning, for alleged sextortion and cyberbullying.
The EFCC revealed this in a statement on Saturday, June 21, noting that Aondona was arrested on Friday in Makurdi, following a petition by some female students who accused him of unethical and criminal behaviour involving sexual exploitation, cyberbullying and blackmail.
“The petitioners alleged that Aondona was routinely recruiting slim and attractive girls for ushering jobs and insisted on sexual favours as a condition for selection.
“Based on this, they became vulnerable to having sexual affairs with him, but unknown to them, he had videos of every sexual act without their consent and was always threatening to leak the videos if they refused to continue having sex with him”, the EFCC said.
The organisation added that Aondona was also accused of sharing explicit videos of the girls across multiple messaging platforms. The videos were recorded without their knowledge and consent, according to the commission.
“Some of the videos are said to be in circulation. The suspect will soon be charged in court,” the EFCC vowed.
The ICIR reports that Human Rights and Gender Rights Activist, Ukan Kurugh, had petitioned the Benue State governor on June 13, calling for an immediate investigation into the allegations.
“Your Excellency, we write with grave concern regarding disturbing reports of a public official using fraudulent government recruitment as a cover to sexually exploit young women in our state. Multiple credible sources confirm this individual.
“Dr. Mkor Aondona Donatus, Special Adviser to the Governor on Documentation, Research, and Planning, has been falsely claiming authorisation from your office to recruit ushers for government events, when no such official recruitment programme exists through this channel” Kurugh wrote.
Kurugh said that the scheme involved approaching female students and graduates under the pretence of offering legitimate ushering opportunities.
“Young women were reportedly selected based primarily on physical appearance, with preference given to those deemed ‘slim and attractive’, while others were excluded for being ‘chubby’.
Kurugh noted that victims report being lured into private meetings where they were pressured for sexual favours in exchange for jobs.
“Most alarmingly, several young women have come forward with evidence that this official secretly recorded intimate videos and took nude photographs of them without their consent during these encounters.
“One particularly harrowing case involves a victim who refused further advances. She has provided proof that the official threatened to leak her secretly recorded nude videos and photographs unless she complied with his demands. These materials were sent to her via WhatsApp and then quickly deleted in an apparent attempt to avoid leaving evidence, though she managed to preserve some of this digital proof,” he stated.
While urging the government to implement strict vetting procedures for anyone claiming to recruit on behalf of the state, the activist urged the governor to provide protection and psychosocial support for all victims.
“We further urge the Benue State Government to publicly assure citizens that justice will be served in this matter and that no individual, regardless of position, is above the law”, he stressed.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.