By Valentine Amanze
Unidentified gunmen have killed an Assistant Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Abeeka Abeeka, in Benue State,.
They shot and killed him at Akile village, Tyo Mu along Makurdi-Gboko road at about 4am outside his house on Monday.
In a statement by Ekunola Gbenga, the media assistant to the Commandant General of NSCDC, the late officer was woken up following the alarm raised by neighbours that some people were coming to attack the village.
According to the statement, as soon as Abeeka stepped out of his house, one of the gunmen opened fire and killed him.
Tyo Mu community had witnessed a series of clashes in recent times between the indigenes and settlers over land.
It could be recalled that for some time now, villagers in the area had engaged in rivalry over land matters and contention over rights over economic sites in the area.
On the profile of the late officer, the NSCDC stated: “Abeeka, an assistant commandant of the Corps, was a dedicated and energetic person, he would be missed.
“This is a sad incident and very unfortunate coming at a time the NSCDC still mourning the death of Inspector Joseph Ochogwu, an Idoma man from Benue South senatorial zone, who was murdered some days back by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen in the state.
“We have commenced full scale investigation into the matter to ascertain those behind the dastardly act, while the manhunt of the fleeing bandits was ongoing with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice.”