THE Ugboju community in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State has been thrown into grief after unknown gunmen killed a prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Ejeh Ijachi, in the early hours of today.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers, who arrived on motorcycles, ambushed Ijachi at his residence and opened fire as soon as they spotted him inside his compound.
He was shot at close range, and his remains have been taken to the Otukpo morgue.
Ijachi’s killing is believed to be linked to a long-running land dispute with a relative—a feud that has previously sparked violence in Ondo and Ogobia communities.
In 2017, the conflict claimed eight lives, including that of former state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), retired Major Lawrence Ugboh.
Reports indicate that Ijachi had survived several assassination attempts since then.
Confirming the incident, Chairman of Otukpo LGA, Maxwell Ogiri, said the attackers trailed the APC chieftain from a hangout with friends to his home.
“They followed him after he parked his car, shot at him from a distance, then closed in and finished him off,” Ogiri explained.
He added that security agencies, including the DSS, had visited the scene and promised to widen investigations to track down the perpetrators.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer in Benue, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was yet to receive an official report on the killing.
The incident adds to the wave of insecurity troubling the state, reigniting concerns about politically linked violence and unresolved communal disputes in Benue.