Gunmen have killed the Divisional Police Officer(DPO) of Naka division, SP Mamud Abubakar, in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to PUNCH, a source said the DPO was killed around 3.30 pm on Tuesday while he was returning from Makurdi, where he went for peace escort.
Abubakar was returning to his station at Naka when the gunmen ambushed and killed him.
The State Commissioner of Police, Wale Abass, confirmed the incident via phone call, PUNCH reports.
He said, “It is true that the DPO was killed; he was going for peace escort and they cleared the road for him. On his way to Naka they laid ambush for him.”
It was gathered that between Sunday and Tuesday, five other people were killed by suspected herders in some communities in the council.
The Chairman of Gwer West LGA, Ayande Andrew, claimed that the DPO was killed by herders.
He said, “The road was blocked by herdsmen and the DPO was on his way to Makurdi when they ambushed him; he was the only person in the vehicle along that road.”
On the other five victims, he said, “Someone was killed this morning (Tuesday) at the Tsenge village by herdsmen and another four people were killed at Babowa community on Sunday.”