JALINGO, Nigeria — Governor Kefas Agbu of Taraba State has disclosed that his younger sister, Atsi Kefas, was not killed by kidnappers as previously believed but was fatally shot by a police escort attached to his mother during a journey along the Wukari–Chinkai Road in 2024.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, May 30, 2025, in Jalingo, the state capital, the governor said an investigation has confirmed that the shot that killed his sister came from close range and was fired by an officer travelling in the same vehicle.
“Life is very precious to me. You can’t just end someone’s life and think God will be happy with you,” Governor Kefas said.
“My younger sister was shot and killed by a police escort who was inside the same bus with her. Investigation revealed that my sister Atsi was shot at close range. The policeman is still under investigation so that justice should prevail.”
He added that pellets from a firearm were discovered in Atsi’s body during a surgical operation before she later succumbed to her injuries.
The incident, which initially drew widespread sympathy across the state, had been believed to be the result of a bandit attack targeting members of the governor’s family.
This new revelation contradicts that narrative and raises further questions about security protocols and conduct within the governor’s escort team.
Governor Kefas used the moment to call for calm and unity, as he also observed a minute of silence for his late sister and the more than 50 people recently killed in an attack in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area.
The governor expressed dismay over the rising violence in communities and pledged to set up a Commission of Enquiry to investigate the root causes of the Karim-Lamido crisis and chart a path to peace.
“It is regrettable that people who should be living peacefully together to develop their areas have embraced crisis, leading to killing of people without any justification,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, the Taraba State Police Command had not issued any official statement in response to the governor’s revelations.
The identity of the officer involved and the progress of the investigation remain undisclosed.
