Armed men yesterday killed a 20-year-old housewife, Mary Ali, in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. Ali, who hailed from Usha in Agatu Local Government Area of the state, recently completed her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). A witness, who pleaded anonymity, said “Mary was gruesomely murdered this morning while on her way to her shop where she was selling food at Ochito-Gana area of Otukpo”.
The New Telegraph learnt that the lady got married a few weeks ago shortly after her mandatory NYSC programme. The reason for her murder was still unknown at press time. The Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Hon. Adoyi Suleiman, has condemned Ali’s murder, which he described as babarric, unwarranted and uncalled for. Suleiman, who spoke on the phone after a discussion with his Otukpo counterpart, said the matter had since been reported to the police. The chairman said he gave the security men 24 hours to bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book to serve as a deterrent to others.
He said: “Security of lives and property is our priority. As far as we are at the helm of affairs at the local government level, our administration will not tolerate any form of criminality. The life of every Agatu person, like any other Nigerian, matters.” Suleiman urged the family of the deceased and the good people of Agatu to remain calm as security agencies had been briefed and those behind the act would be arrested and prosecuted.
