Linus Oota, Lafia
Gunmen in the early hours of yesterday invaded the residence of the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Higher Education, Chief Clement Uhembe, and killed a 400 level student of the Federal University, Lafia, Mr Terlumum Hemba.
The incident took place at Kaduna Koro, a suburb of Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, along the Lafia – Makurdi highway, at about 1am when the gunmen struck.
Narrating the incident to journalists in Lafia yesterday, an eyewitness, who identified himself as Daddy, said the gunmen arrived the commissioner’s residence at about 1am yesterday with arms and terrorised the occupants, leading to the shooting of the 400 level micro-biology student to death.
Daddy, who claimed that he was hiding in a vehicle parked in the commissioner’s residence, said that the gunmen attacked the university student who they first came across and shot him at close range. He added that they chased him as he attempted to escape and used sticks to beat him till he bled to death in the compound.
The eyewitness further said that the gunmen also beat the hell out of some of the occupants of the residence, demanding the whereabouts of the commissioner, who was said to have traveled with some members of his family to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, for the wedding of his son.
Daddy further revealed that the other occupants who were left behind in the compound escaped into the bush.
According to him, the gunmen had a field day, using diggers, axe and other tools and dug their way into the commissioner’s living room.
Speaking to journalists over the attack, Uhembe said he suspected some high level indifference of some persons opposing him and who had threatened to settle scores with him.
He said: “The issue arose from the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ihuman ward of Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, which the party had never won since its existence hence it angered a lot of people. Since that APC victory, my life has been under threat from some individuals.”
When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer in-charge of Agyaragu division, Mr. Biam, confirmed the attack and said Hemba’s body has
been removed from the scene of the incident and deposited at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia. He added that investigation into the incident has commenced.