Gunmen suspected to be armed herdsmen on Tuesday reportedly killed the Igumale Ward 1 Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, Mr Sunday Oche.

New Telegraph gathered that the decreased in company of his friends were on their way to the farm in Ongwu Adaka plantation when the armed bandits ambushed and shot at them.

The Labour Party chairman died on the spot while the five others escaped with gun wounds.

A source close to the family of the slain chairman who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, said the deceased “went to the farm in company of five others on motorcycles”.

“They went to assist a widow in her farm and were on their way back after closing for the day when they were ambushed by the herders.

“Those people who went to the farm with the chairman came home with varying degrees of injures. The herdsmen attacked them and equally took away their two motorcycles.

One of the persons identified as Ogaba told reporters that “my younger brother was unlucky because immediately the herders stopped them, he was the first to drop from his bike and they shot at him.

“Our ward youths went to the scene of the incident, unfortunately the attackers had left leaving the deceased in the pool of his blood. They brought the body home and we have taken those injured to the hospital.

He said the corpse of the deceased would be buried tomorrow. The deceased left two children and a wife.

“The government must rise up to address this herdsmen militia attacks on Benue communities because everyone is sleeping with one eye closed”.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party Publicity Secretary, Tersoo Orbunde, has confirmed the incident saying the body has been recovered and waiting for burial.

He said, “Yes, he Is the Ward Chairman from Igumale, Sunday Oche. He went to his cassava farm and he was attacked there and they killed him.

When contacted the Benue State Command Police Public Relations Officer PPRO, SP Catherine Anene, said she was not aware of the incidence. (Text, excluding headline: New Telegraph)

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