From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Gunmen, yet to be identified, have reportedly shot and killed two people in two separate attacks at Okpokwu and Ukum Local Government Areas of Benue State.
Daily Sun gathered that the two deceased people, the Information officer of Ukum Local Government Council (LGC), Mr. Orbunde Ephraim, was killed on Saturday, while a former deputy rector of the State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Okpokwu, identified as Oche, was reportedly killed last Friday.
It was said the one-time deputy rector was killed when gunmen suspected to be kidnappers ambushed his vehicle while he was driving along Otukpo-Enugu road, in company of his wife.
Chairman of Okpokwu Local Government Area, Mrs Amina Audu, who confirmed the incident, said security men who promptly responded were able to rescue the wife.
She said: “It was a case of kidnapping or armed robbery. It happened on Friday, not up to 30 minutes after I drove past the spot when someone called me and said they had killed a man and kidnapped his wife.
“But security men, who were alerted, immediately swung into action and trailed the gunmen to the bush, and they (gunmen) abandoned the woman and she was rescued that day. The man killed was a former deputy rector of the state Polytechnic, Ugbokolo.
Meanwhile, the Information Officer of Ukum was killed at Zaki Biam, headquarters of Ukum LGA, when some gunmen reportedly strolled into his house and shot at him.
The immediate past chairman of Ukum LGA, Steve Ayua, who appointed Ephraim as council information officer, said the killers casually strolled into the man’s house and shot him in the stomach.
He said: “I appointed him (Ephraim) information officer of Ukum LGA, but I don’t know if the new chairman retained him or not; but he was shot last night and was taken to a private hospital, unfortunately, he didn’t get prompt medical attention and eventually passed on.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benue State Command, Catherine Anene, said she was yet to receive the information.