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A police inspector attached to the Mega Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp along Gbajimba Road in Makurdi, Benue State, was fatally shot by unidentified gunmen on Thursday evening, March 20, 2026.
The deceased officer, identified as Inspector Otor Ejiga, was reportedly attacked while manning an unauthorised solitary checkpoint close to the camp. According to sources, the assailants opened fire on the inspector before fleeing the scene with his Type 06 rifle.
A responding patrol team later recovered the officer’s remains and conveyed them to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) mortuary for autopsy. Several security agencies have since launched a manhunt to apprehend the perpetrators and recover the stolen firearm.
A full-scale investigation has been initiated into the incident, while the officer in charge of the checkpoint is being queried over suspected supervisory negligence that may have contributed to the officer’s vulnerability.
The killing has heightened concerns about security around IDP camps and informal checkpoints in Makurdi, with residents and observers calling for stricter regulation of such outposts and improved protection for personnel deployed in volatile areas.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack at the time of this report, and police authorities are yet to issue an official statement.
