By JOHN ONAH, Abuja –
Association of Igede Media Professionals (AIMP) expresses deep shock and outrage over the gruesome killing of two young Igede young men, Gabriel Ogoda and Ogah Jonathan Ukoh who were ambushed and brutally murdered along the Ulam axis of the Oju–Awajir Road in Gwer-East Local Government Area of Benue State on Monday, August 4, 2025.
Mr. Jonathan Ukoh had just completed his traditional marriage ceremony in Oju on Saturday, August 2, and was returning to Makurdi on Monday with his close friend, Mr. Gabriel Ogoda.
Tragically, both men never made it home as they were waylaid, murdered in cold blood and their motorcycles stolen by yet-to-be-identified assailants.
Mr. Ogoda on the other hand has a heavily pregnant wife awaiting delivery. This makes the horrific incident even more heartbreaking for both families and the wider Igede community.
A statement jointly signed by the President, Egena Sunday Ode and the General Secretary, Gabriel Ahonye, on Tuesday in Abuja, said the perpetrators not only snuffed lives out of the two promising young men, but have also left behind widows, unborn children and grieving parents and relatives.
AIMP viewed this act not just as a barbaric and senseless murder, but also as part of an alarming trend of insecurity and unchecked criminality along the Oju–Awajir Road, which oftentimes leaves it unused for the better part of every year.
It said: ” This incident, no doubt, raises serious concerns about the safety of citizens, particularly Igede sons and daughters, who are becoming increasingly vulnerable to attacks even while travelling legitimately within their own state.
“Accordingly, we call on the Executive Governor of Benue State, His Excellency Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, to treat this matter with the urgency it demands. This is not the time for silence or mere condolences as governments are wont to do”.
“We, therfore, demand:
- Immediate investigation into the murder, arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the heinous crime;
- Deployment of security forces to Ullam-Bonta axis among other flashpoints along Awajir-Oju Road to prevent further attacks.
- Government engagement with local communities to foster intelligence gathering, early warning signals, and peacebuilding.
“We also call on the Benue State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), and heads of other security agencies to, as already ordered by the Benue State Chief Executive, launch a full-scale manhunt for the killers of Gabriel Ogoda and Jonathan Ukoh”.
According to the statement, AIMP stands in solidarity with the bereaved families and the entire Igede nation at this moment of deep grief.
“We reiterate that these killings must not go unpunished, realising that if justice is not served in this matter, it will send a dangerous message that the lives of Igede people do not matter. We refuse to accept that!”
“Finally, we urge all Igede sons and daughters across the country and in the diaspora to remain calm, united, and vigilant, while AIMP and other stakeholders continue to push for justice using all lawful means at their disposal, the statement added.
