
Unknown gunmen on Saturday assassinated a traditional ruler in Katsina-Ala, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue state.
He is Godwin Gbajur, the Tor Gari (township head) of Katsina-Ala town, the headquarters of Katsina-Ala LGA.
The gunmen were said to have stormed the GRA residence of the chief on a motorcycle at about 6:30am and demanded to see him.
The victim was shot point blank by the gunmen immediately he stepped out and introduced himself.
The Benue State Command of the Nigeria Police has confirmed the assassination.
“They shot him at close range and as soon as they were convinced that he had died, they jumped on the Bajaj motorcycle they came with and rode off shooting sporadically as they left,” a source who spoke on grounds of anonymity told Daily Sun.
The police spokesman in the state ASP Moses Yamu confirmed the assassination, saying the victim died on the spot after being shot at close range.
He said: “The Benue State Police Command wish to report that at about 0648hrs of today, one Godwin Gbajur (Katsina-Ala Township Leader aka Tor Gari) was assassinated in his GRA residence at the outskirts of Katsina-Ala LGA by two armed bandits.
“Eye witness account reveals that, the assassins rode on two Bajaj motorcycles to the house of the victim and inquired from him if he was Godwin, which he answered in affirmative before he was eventually shot dead. Eight (8) empty shells of AK-47 ammunition were recovered at the scene.