BREAKING: Gunmen kill NSCDC Commander, Mike Ode in Benue

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have reportedly claimed the life of a commander of the Agro Rangers unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Benue State.

The deceased has been identified as Mike Ode.

The tragic incident occurred in Shaapera community within the Gwer West Local Government Area of the state.

Nicholas Ode, a relative of the deceased, revealed that his brother was brutally killed in Shaapera village on Monday. He explained that the confrontation took place while his brother was on a special assignment in the area.

According to Nicholas, during the exchange of gunfire between the NSCDC officers and the suspected herdsmen, about 10 of the bandits were neutralized. Regrettably, Mike Ode was fatally shot, while the rest of the team managed to escape unharmed.

The body of the deceased has been deposited at the morgue of Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.

The NSCDC Command Public Relations Officer, Mike Ejelikwu, has confirmed the tragic incident. He emphasized that despite this loss, the command remains steadfast in its commitment to fulfilling its constitutional duty of ensuring the safety of law-abiding citizens in the state.

Ejelikwu further elaborated on the NSCDC’s specialized squad, the Agro Rangers, stationed across various local government areas, including Gwer West, Logo, Apa, Kwande, and Guma. Their primary focus is to provide security for agro-allied investments, including animal husbandry and crop production.

Regarding the circumstances of the incident, Ejelikwu stated that the deceased was killed during a gun duel with the bandits, noting that there was significant damage inflicted upon the assailants.

“We lost one Agro Ranger, who incidentally was the commander of the operation,” he lamented, while assuring that the command was in contact with the family of the deceased to offer support and condolences.