A senior lecturer in the Business Administration Department of Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Mr. Echobu Adah has been reportedly killed by unknown gunmen along Otukpo – Ugbokolo highway at the Eke Olengbecho-Olayenga axis of the road, in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue state.
It was gathered that the attack also left some security personnel with serious injuries.
According to Vanguard source who spoke on condition of anonymity, the deceased who was gunned down by the armed men at about 5pm on Sunday was on his way to Ugbokolo from Otukpo when he ran into them.
He explained that the lecturer, while on his way, saw the criminals operating on the said road and he quickly drove back to mobilize security personnel on stop-and-search duty on that axis of the road to dislodge the armed men.
“He mobilized some of the security personnel on stop-and-search duty on that Otukpo-Ugbokolo Highway to help dislodge the armed who were robbing innocent motorists.
“Unfortunately on approaching the area with the security personnel in his car, the armed men who probably saw that security personnel were in the coming vehicle, opened fire on them.
“The lecturer who was driving the car was hit by bullet and the vehicle skidded off the road and somersaulted severally into the bush.
“All of the occupants sustained serious injuries but he was the only one who died at the time of the incident.
“As we speak angry students of the institution including the locals have taken over the busy road to protest the death of the lecturer and the persistent activities of armed criminals on the said road. The incident has become almost a daily affair on that road,” he said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent, DSP, Catherine Anene said she was yet to receive information on the incident.