By Peter Duru, Makurdi
Benue State Police Command has confirmed that armed men attacked an Ondo community on Tuesday morning in Ugboju District of Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, killing the community’s youth chairman, Mr. Sunday Ogoh, and leaving the traditional head and several other residents injured.
The Command, in a statement by its spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, who confirmed the attack, stated that the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday when the assailants stormed the community and opened fire on residents.
DSP Edet disclosed that the Command received a distress call at about 6:10am informing security agencies of the attack by the armed men.
She said, “At about 0610hrs, we received information that unknown gunmen attacked Ondo, Ugboju in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.”
According to the police spokesperson, “One Sunday Ogoh, the youth chairman, sadly lost his life, while the head of Ondo and others who were wounded were rushed to the hospital.”
Following the attack, the police said tactical teams and senior officers were immediately deployed to the affected community to restore calm and commence a manhunt for the attackers.
Edet added that members of the vigilance group, Civil Protection Guard and other sister security agencies were also mobilised to the area to support the ongoing security operation.
She assured residents that security agencies were making concerted efforts to apprehend those responsible for the attack, saying, “Tactical teams, senior officers, vigilance group, civil protection guard and other sister security agencies are on scene, and efforts are seriously on the way to arrest the culprits.”
The police urged members of the public to remain calm and cooperate with security personnel by providing useful information that could aid the investigation, assuring that further updates on the incident would be communicated as operations progress.
