Tragedy struck again in Ugboju community, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, on Monday as gunmen shot dead a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Ejeh Ijachi, at his residence.
Ijachi’s killing, according to community sources, may not be unconnected to a long-drawn land ownership dispute dating back to 2017, which had claimed at least eight lives, including that of a former state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, retired Major Lawrence Ugboh.
It was gathered that the deceased had survived several assassination attempts over the years before the assailants, who rode on motorcycles, eventually ambushed him in his compound in the early hours of Monday.
According to Channels Television’s,
an eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the killers surrounded the APC stalwart and opened fire at close range.
“They surrounded him and shot at him at close range. His body has since been deposited at the morgue in Otukpo,” the source said.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Otukpo Local Government, Maxwell Ogiri, described the attack as premeditated, adding that the gunmen trailed the deceased to his house.
“Ejeh Udeh was murdered. We don’t know the reasons for his murder yet, 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 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 the company of the DSS boss and other heads of security agencies and they promised to expand their dragnet to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators,” Ogiri said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Benue State, DSP Udeme Edet, said she had yet to be briefed about the incident.
