Gunmen Murder 37-Year-Old Man in Uyo

A 37-year-old man, identified as Dominic Ayuba, was on Friday shot dead by unknown gunmen at his residence in Eno Estate, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Ayuba was reportedly attacked at the gate of the house while returning to work after coming back to pick up something he had left behind.

The incident has left residents of the estate panicking, with many still trying to piece together what could have triggered the attack and why the victim was killed.

Efforts to speak with some residents about the incident were turned down, as many appeared unwilling to discuss what happened, apparently out of fear following the shooting.

A security guard at Ayuba’s residence, Abubakar Garba, told our reporter that the assailants had visited the house earlier in the day, although their purpose was not clear at the time.

He said Ayuba later returned to pick up the item he had left behind and was shot shortly after he came out of the house.

“The men came earlier that day, but we did not know exactly what they wanted. Later, Oga(Dominic Ayuba) came back to pick something he had left behind. As he was going back to work, they shot him at the gate,” Garba narrated.

The circumstances surrounding the killing have raised the possibility that Ayuba may not have been the intended target.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Odiko MacDon, in a telephone conversation disclosed that a preliminary investigation was pointing in that direction, while detectives continued efforts to establish what happened.

“Preliminary investigation is ongoing, and we are looking at the possibility of mistaken identity. We are also making efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death,” MacDon said.

He urged residents to remain security-conscious and promptly report unfamiliar persons or suspicious movements in their neighbourhoods.

MacDon also assured residents that the situation was under control, saying the command was intensifying efforts to establish the circumstances of the killing and track down those responsible.

The police investigation is ongoing as residents await answers over the identity of the attackers and the circumstances that led to Ayuba’s death.