A group of Herdsmen has beheaded a health officer, Ojoma Emie, following a carried out attack on a community in Benue State.
The bandits were said to have ambushed the area and met Emie, a father of three, who was returning from where he went to purchase medical supplies, attacked him and ultimately got him decapitated, causing massive unrest in the community.
The mishap ,on Monday morning at Ugbobi Junction along the Ikobi-Olegogba axis of the Ikobi-Ugbokpo road in Ikobi, Apa Local Government Area, led to residents later discovering his body and raised alarm, prompting widespread shock and grief across the community.
One of them, who is the Vice President of the Ikobi Progressive Forum, Edoh Ofugocho, confirmed the incident, disclosing that residents became concerned after hearing repeated gunshots from the direction where the deceased was travelling.
“Our people heard several gunshots and immediately became worried because they knew he had travelled to obtain medicine,” Ofugocho said.
“As events unfolded, it became clear that he had been attacked and killed while returning home,” Ofugocho said and added, “The road has become a source of anxiety for our people. Citizens should be able to travel within their communities without fear of being attacked,” he added.
He described the deceased as a dedicated health worker who served his community and left behind a wife and children.
Furthermore, the community leader lamented what he described as persistent attacks by suspected herdsmen.
He revealed that residents have continued to face serious security challenges despite repeated appeals for intervention.
The killing has further intensified fears among locals who have repeatedly complained about attacks on travellers and residents in the area.
Other community leaders have renewed calls for stronger security measures, urging authorities to deploy adequate personnel to vulnerable locations and ensure those responsible for the killing are arrested and prosecuted.
They emotionally stated that Thoe perpetrators of the killings must be brought to justice, and lasting protection must be provided for the communities.