A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ejeh Udeh, has been shot dead by yet-to-be known assassins at his house in Ondo village of Ugboju District in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
Our correspondent gathered that the attack happened about midnight on Sunday at his residence in Ugboju community.
Witnesses said the assailants, who rode on motorcycles, ambushed him as he entered his compound and shot him multiple times at close range.
“They surrounded him and shot him at close range. His body has since been deposited at the morgue in Otukpo,” a resident said.
The residents desribesd Udeh, as a brother of a former Otukpo local government chairman, a respected figure in Idoma politics whose killing has thrown Ugboju and the entire Otukpo community into mourning, with many residents calling the assassination a devastating loss.
A resident simply identified as Simon, noted that the entire Ogobia remained quiet with residents stock in their houses.
“Some of us attempted to go to farm this morning but we were chased back home over the death of this man,” Simon said.
Chairman of Otukpo LGA, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the incident to journalists in Makurdi, saying the deceased was killed at his home in Ogobia – Ugboju community about 11pm on Sunday.
“Yes, Hon. Ejeh Ude was murdered. We don’t know the reasons for his murder, whether remote or immediate. But we can only say that his murderers were determined, they followed him to his house after he came back from a hangout with some friends and associates. He entered his house alone, parked his car and went to his house and they began to fire from a distance, got closer to him and then finished him up.
“I went to the scene in company of the DSS boss and other heads of security agencies and they promised to expand their dragnet to ensure arrest of the perpetrators. But the gruesome murder of Ejeh has cast a dark shadow in our community because he is a well-known figure, a community leader, an opinion moulder and also a chieftain of the APC in Otukpo LG.
“Like it’s always said ‘A soul killed in a cold blood is more painful than tens killed in a progrom. This is one of such deaths.’ This Killing took place in Ondo in Ugboju, Otukpo LGA. The assailants came at about 11pm and it was raining seriously at that time. People were indoors. It was the sound of gun shots that attracted people. They chose a perfect time to carry out their dastardly act,” Ogiri narrated.
As of the time of filing this report, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Benue Command, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was yet to get the report of the incident.
