Man beheads neighbour over dispute

A man is being held by the Benue State Police Command for the alleged beheading of his neighbour over a
land dispute.
It was gathered that the suspect allegedly killed his victim at Utonkon in Ado Local Government Area of the state, yesterday morning.

According to the reports, the deceased, who hailed from Ado local government, had been at loggerheads with the suspected killer who hailed from neighbouring Oju, over a disputed piece of land.

The source said: “Both men and their respective families have been quarrelling over a piece of land that is located around the boundaries of both Ado and Oju local government areas.

We heard that both men met in the farm this morning (yesterday) and a fight ensued between them in the bush without anybody knowing.

The suspect eventually overpowered the deceased and killed him with a machete after which he cut off his head and buried his body in a shallow grave inside the farm.

He was running away with the head in a polythene bag when he was caught by members of the local security outfit in the village, who eventually took him to Otukpo Police Area Command, where he is currently being interrogated.”

While speaking to reporters at the Police Station in Otukpo, the suspect said the victim threatened to kill him during an argument.

When contacted, Benue State Police Public Relations Office, Assistant Superintendent Austin Ezeani, who confirmed the incident, said the matter was being investigated.

He said: “The suspect is being held at the Otukpo Area Command, where he is being interrogated. He is a native of Oju, while his victim hailed from Ado, all Benue State.”

It was learned that the killing had sparked anger in Ado, with the people of the area threatening a reprisal attack on the people of Oju.