Kidnappers Behead Councillor-Elect, Cousin In Benue

Suspected kidnappers have killed a councillor-elect and his cousin in Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.

Naija News learnt that youths from Owupa and Orokam communities on Friday blocked the highway to protect against the killing and kidnapping cases in communities.

Sources that spoke with Punch on the saddened incident disclosed that Paul Ojile who was elected councillor on the 30th of June, and his cousin had joined hunters and members of vigilante groups to search for kidnap victims on Thursday.

He was, however, killed alongside his cousin on Thursday before his inauguration.

A resident of the community identified as Sunny said, “The problem started on Wednesday when some Fulani herdsmen abducted two residents of Orokam, the councillor-elect and his cousin joined other groups of hunters and vigilantes as well as security men in search of the kidnap victim only to discover that the councillor-elect and his cousin had been beheaded.”

The Chairman of the local government, Samuel Onu who confirmed the incident said, “There was a kidnap yesterday; actually in the last three days, the herdsmen were troubling the area, there had been incessant kidnapping in the local government.

“They left one community in Owukpa and they went to Orokam; on their way, they kidnapped one man. The Councillor-elect who lives in the village is a hunter. He, his cousin, other hunters and the vigilante with operation Zenda had entered the forest to see if they could rescue the man that was kidnapped.

“It was when they were to return yesterday (Thursday) that they noticed two of them were missing but they were able to arrest two herders.

“It was this (Friday) morning that they were able to check again and found their lifeless body beheaded – the Councillor-elect and his cousin.

“The arrested herdsmen had been taken to Makurdi by Operation Zenda”, adding that the traditional heads of Owukpa and Orokam have been begging the youth who blocked roads in the area.

“We have all been talking to them. It’s a little bit calm now.”