Tension return in the Kadarko community area of Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, following the killing of a 23-year-old trader by operatives suspected to be of the presidential military task force operating in the area.
A source, who did not want his name in print, told Northern City News that the victim, Terhemen Ior Tyovenda, was shot at a close range in the head by one of the soldiers, who rode on three motorcycles to Kadarko town on Monday evening.
A legal practitioner and community leader in the area,Titus Chahur, who confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with our correspondent, said the victim was shot while sitting alongside four friends at a relaxation centre in town.
According to the lawyer, the late Terhemen, alongside his friends were having a chat when the soldiers suddenly appeared and apprehended two of the boys and shot the victim in the head while the others managed to escaped.
The soldiers were said to have left the area immediately after the killing.
The victim’s corpse was taken to the police station in Kadarko, but the police were said to have expressed helplessness, claiming that the soldiers were working with the presidential task force.
Reacting to the development, the President of the Tiv socio-cultural association, Mzogh U Tiv, Nasarawa State chapter, Mr. Thomas Gaar, condemned the action of the military operatives, calling for their immediate arrest and prosecution in the interest of justice.
He regretted that the incident happened at a time Tiv people were still counting their loses in the recent unprovoked chaos after Tiv villages in the southern senatorial district of the state by armed Fulani herders.
He said, “It is very unfortunate that such a young person will be brutally murdered without any provocation by people who are supposed to protect lives and property.
“I totally condemn this act and appeal to the authorities concerned to ensure that the perpetrators are fished out and brought to book in the interest of justice.”
Confirming the incident in a telephone interview with our correspondent, the acting Police Public Relations Officer, Nasarawa State Command, ASP Ismaila Usman, said the command could not ascertain whether those that carried out the operation were military men or not, adding that some unscrupulous elements were wearing military uniforms to create mayhem in the state.
He said, “The command cannot ascertain that those that carried out the act are military men or only wore military uniform to create mayhem. The command had already deployed its personnel in the area to find out those behind the killing of the trader.”
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