A yet-to-be-identified Makurdi commercial bus driver, was, yesterday, shot dead by unknown assailants in the North Bank area of the town.
An eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that the driver was killed while conveying some passengers from North Bank park to the main town.
He said the assailants who were on motorbikes tailed the driver to the North Bank roundabout where he slowed down to pick up passengers, on Makurdi-Lafia Road by an old-generation bank, and shot him in the head.
He said: “It all happened suddenly, after shooting him, they fled the scene while the passengers in the bus who were shocked by what they saw, ran out of the vehicle shouting and crying.
“People ran in different directions after hearing the gunshots because nobody was sure of what was happening. We all ran including people selling car accessories nearby.
“But shortly after people realised what happened, his fellow bus drivers and friends gathered and there was tension all over the place.
“Luckily the Police came including soldiers to take charge of the area as it was obvious that there could be breakdown of law and order and considering that there is a bank nearby.”
He said the body of the deceased was removed by security personnel while the area was cordoned off “but the suspicion is that it could be a cult related killing because last few weeks, there have been cases of attacks and killings in parts of North Bank by rival cult groups and the general impression is that the incident could be part of ongoing supremacy fight.”
Effort to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, Catherine Anene was unsuccessful.