THE family of a 16-year-old boy, Sesugh Atsar, has rejected the police account of his death and accused operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of killing him in Makurdi, Benue State.
The boy’s mother, Jennifer Atsar, in an interview published by Punch Newspaper on Saturday, June 6, said her son was shot by EFCC operatives on May 23, 2026, shortly after he was arrested and released by the anti-graft agency.
She alleged that Sesugh, a Junior Secondary School 3 student and apprentice furniture-maker, had told her days before his death that EFCC officials arrested him, released him on bail, but withheld his phone and demanded N100,000 for its return.
According to her, the teenager was at home when he received a call and left with a friend before the incident occurred.
She claimed that two EFCC operatives, operating in plain clothes, invited his friend to a hotel where they were staying.
On arrival at the hotel on a motorcycle, she alleged that one of the officers drew a firearm, prompting her son to flee before he was chased and shot at close range.
“I was told that two EFCC operatives, who were in mufti, called my son’s friend to come to a hotel located around the community where the EFCC men were staying.
“When they (my son and his friend) arrived at the hotel on a motorcycle, Sesugh got down, opened the gate, and they rode inside. Upon sighting them, one of the EFCC officers drew a gun. I was told that my son ran when he saw the gun. They chased him and shot him at close range,” she said
Atsar said neighbours later informed her that her son had been killed, adding that residents insisted the operatives should take responsibility for the incident.
She also alleged that EFCC officials have since withheld her son’s body and denied the family access to his remains.
The mother rejected allegations linking her son to internet fraud, cultism and drug-related activities, insisting he was a hardworking teenager who supported his family through menial jobs and apprenticeship work.
Police account
However, the Police in Benue State had in a statement by their spokesperson, Udeme Edet, stated that Sesugh alongside his friends opened fire at EFCC operatives and were killed during the gunfire.
The statement, first reported on May 25, noted the deceased was among three suspects earlier arrested by the commission on April 28, 2026, over alleged fraud and cybercrime offences.
The police said the suspects later escaped from EFCC custody on May 4 and went into hiding.
Edet stated that EFCC operatives, acting on intelligence, later stormed a hideout in Kanshio, Makurdi, on May 23, 2026, where they reportedly encountered suspected cultists who opened fire, resulting in a gunfire exchange.
According to the statement, Sesugh was later found lying in a pool of blood and was rushed to the Police Cottage Hospital, Makurdi, where he was confirmed dead.
The police added that the body had been deposited at the mortuary of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital for preservation and autopsy, while investigations into the incident were ongoing.
However, two weeks after the incident, the EFCC has yet to issue official statement addressing the allegations.
When The ICIR reached out to the commission spokesperson Dele Oyewale, he said a statement would be released on the matter ‘soon.’
Family demands justice
Speaking further, Atsar demanded justice for her son and the release of his body to the family.
She called on authorities to conduct a transparent investigation and ensure that anyone found responsible for his death is held accountable.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M