Sad weekend as gunmen kill ex deputy rector, LG information officer in Benue

Our correspondent gathered thatthe two persons, 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 in Okpokwu identified as Oche, was reportedly killed last  Friday.

It was said that 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, confirmed the incident and said that 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 that I drove along  the spot when someone called me that they had killed a man who was in a car with his wife and they kidnapped the woman.

“But security men who were alerted immediately swung to action and trailed the gunmen into the bush and they (gunmen) left the woman and she was rescued that day, the man killed was 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 their 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, Benue State Command, SP Catherine Anene, said she was yet to receive the information.