Tragedy struck Abaji-Kpav community in Tordonga, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, on Thursday, as a post-primary school teacher, Mr Simon Iorkase, was shot dead following a confrontation with a Ward Commander of the Benue State Civil Protection Guard.
The incident, which has unsettled residents, reportedly occurred at the commander’s duty post after a disagreement escalated into a violent struggle.
Eyewitness accounts indicated that the civil protection guard was exchanging pleasantries with a young woman when two men, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, approached the scene. One of the men was said to have confronted the woman aggressively, claiming to be her teacher and demanding to know why she failed to greet him.
Sources said the situation became tense when the guard attempted to defuse the encounter by explaining that he was in the middle of a conversation with the woman. This intervention reportedly angered the teacher, leading to a heated exchange.
The disagreement quickly degenerated as the two men allegedly tried to seize the commander’s service rifle, causing panic among bystanders who fled for fear of an accidental discharge.
During the ensuing struggle, the rifle reportedly went off, fatally wounding Mr Iorkase. He was said to have sustained severe injuries and died on the spot.
In a further twist, residents alleged that the second man drew a locally made pistol and shot the civil protection guard in the right hand before escaping from the area.
The police were immediately alerted and responded swiftly, evacuating the deceased’s body and taking the injured commander into custody for interrogation. He was later placed under protective custody as investigations commenced.
Confirming the incident, the State Commander of the Benue State Civil Protection Guard, Capt Ayuma Ajobi (retd.), said the matter had been formally handed over to the police to determine the full circumstances surrounding the shooting.
“The incident did occur, and the police are investigating to establish all the facts,” he said.
However, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, stated that she was yet to receive a detailed briefing on the matter as of the time of filing this report
