From Uche Nnorom, in Makurdi
Gunmen have assassinated Hon. Ejeh Udeh, a prominent Idoma politician and chieftain of the APC.
The incident occurred around midnight at his residence in Ugboju, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. Eyewitnesses said the killers, who rode on motorcycles, laid in wait for him and opened fire as soon as he entered his compound.
“They surrounded him and shot him at close range. His body has since been deposited at the morgue in Otukpo,” a source confirmed.
Hon. Udeh, who is said to be a brother of a former local government chairman, was a well-known political figure in the Idoma nation.
The assassination has thrown Ugboju and the wider Otukpo community into mourning, with residents describing the killing as a huge loss.
Confirming the incident, Otukpo Chairman, Maxwell Ogiri said, ” Yes, Hon Ejeh Ude was murdered. We don’t know the reasons for his murder, 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 entered his house alone, 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 company of the DSS boss and other heads of security agencies and they promised to expand their dragnet to ensure arrest of the perpetrators. But the gruesome murder of Ejeh has cast a dark shadow in our community because he is a well-known figure a community leader, an opinion moulder and also a chieftain of the APC in Otukpo LG.
“Like is always said a soul killed in a cold blood is more painful than tens killed in a progrom. This is one of such deaths.” This Killing took place in Ondo in Ugboji, Otukpo LG. The assailant came at about 11pm and it was raining seriously at that time. People were indoors. It was the sound of gun shots that attracted people. They chose a perfect time to carry out their dastardly act.
Meanwhile, feelers from his home country indicates that the entire Ogobia is very quiet with residents stuck in their houses.
An anonymous source said, “some of us attempted to go to farm this morning but chased back home over the death of this man.
“This killing may be linked to the killing of Major Ugbor. This Ude just killed got his payback because he was a very bad man who used to collect money from Fulani. We are happy but nobody can talk for fear of being killed.
“Yes, it was exactly this time(September 2017) that ugbor was killed with 8 others.
“I tell you the matter is not entirely politics – it has an undertone of land dispute between some families, then the fighting took political dimension. Even Ugbor was killed in a most gruesome manner – burnt alive in his car – he wanted to escape but they forced him inside, locked the car, poured petrol and killed him in broad daylight”.
