From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Gunmen suspected to be armed herdsmen have reportedly killed the chairman of Labour Party, (LP) of Igumale Ward1 in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, Mr. Sunday Oche.
Our correspondent gathered that the incident took place at about 4:30pm on Monday, September 2, 2024.
Oche had gone to farm in company of his peers when they were ambushed by the herders who shot at them and killed him while five others escaped with gun injuries.
A source close to the late party chairman who didn’t want to be named told newsmen in Makurdi that Oche went to the farm in company of five other persons on motorcycles when the attack happened.
He explained that they went to assist a widow in her farm and after closing for the day, on their way back, the herders barricaded the road and opened fire on them leading to the death of the party chairman.
He said: “Those people who went to the farm with the chairman came home with serious injuries saying they were attacked by armed herders who equally took their two motorcycles.
“One of the people called Ogaba told me that Sunday my junior brother was unlucky because immediately they (herders) stopped us, he was the first person to drop from the other bike and they shot at him. Then it dawned on them that these people had ambushed them.
“It happened yesterday at about 4:30pm. Youths from the ward went and recovered the corpse and deposited it at Mogul in Igumale at about 7:30pm yesterday.
“When the youths went to the scene of the incident, unfortunately the attackers had left the dead body. They brought the body home and we have taken those injured to the hospital.
“We are looking at Thursday this week to bury the corpse. The deceased left two children and a wife. This is a terrible and unfortunate incident that has happened to my family.
“Government must rise to address these herdsmen militia attacks on Benue Communities,” the source said.
When contacted the Benue State Command Police Public Relations Officer PPRO SP Catherine Anene said she was not aware of the incident yet.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party Publicity Secretary, Tersoo Orbunde, has confirmed the incident, saying the body has been recovered and is awaiting burial.
He said: ” Yes, he is a Ward Chairman from Igumale, Sunday Oche. He went to his cassava farm and was attacked there and killed. They have brought the corpse back. Our people have gone there to console the family and we are waiting for them to arrange for burial and we see how we can come in.”
He said the police had been notified for action.
