Newly married woman shot dead in Otukpo


Unknown gunmen Wednesday in the morning shot a 20-year-old housewife, Mary Ali Ogudu, in Otukpo, headquarters of  Otukpo local government area of Benue state. Mary, who hailed from Usha in Agatu local government area of the state, recently completed her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and got married to an equally  young man from the same village. An eye witness who pleaded anonymity, said “Mary was shot at close range at dawn  while on her way to her shop where she was selling food at Ochito-Gana area of Otukpo”. 

Also a close relation told Blueprint  that the lady got married  recently after her mandatory NYSC programme. The reason for her murder was still unknown at press time.  But she was believed to have been murdered by hired killers.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 for investigation. 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 other criminals. 

“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 said, and 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 violent crime would be arrested and prosecuted.

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