A secondary school teacher, Simon Iorkase, has been reportedly shot dead in Abaji-Kpav, Tordonga, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, following a confrontation involving a Ward Commander of the Benue State Civil Protection Guard.
The incident, described by residents as tragic and avoidable, was said to have occurred while the BSCPG commander was on duty at his post in the community.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the commander was engaged in a casual conversation with a young woman when two men, alleged to be intoxicated, approached the scene.
“One of the men began harassing the girl, insisting that he was her teacher and questioning why she failed to greet him. As the situation became embarrassing, the commander tried to explain that they were in the middle of a discussion,” he said.
According to the witness, the intervention reportedly angered the teacher, leading to a heated exchange among the three.
“He felt insulted, and an altercation ensued.”
The situation was said to have degenerated when the two men allegedly attempted to seize the commander’s service rifle, causing panic among nearby residents.
“They went straight for the rifle, probably trying to snatch it. People immediately started running away for fear of an accidental discharge.”
According to the witness, “the men were clearly drunk because no one in his right senses would try to grab a loaded gun from a security personnel, knowing he would instinctively defend himself,” he said.
During the ensuing struggle, the rifle allegedly discharged, striking Iorkase at close range.
“He sustained severe injuries and died almost immediately,” the eyewitness said.
The source further alleged that as residents fled the scene, the second man pulled out a locally made pistol and shot the BSCPG commander in his right hand before fleeing.
“The police were immediately informed. They arrived promptly, arrested the BSCPG Commander for interrogation and evacuated the corpse of the deceased teacher.”
As of the time of filing this report, the BSCPG commander was said to be in police custody, assisting investigators.
Confirming the incident, the State Commander of the BSCPG, Capt. Ayuma Ajobi (retd.), said the matter had been handed over to the police for a thorough investigation.
“The incident occurred, and the police are currently investigating to establish the full facts,” he said.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was yet to receive full details of the incident.