THE University of Jos (UNIJOS) community in Plateau State was thrown into shock on Tuesday following the discovery of the body of a man who was beheaded at the institution’s Permanent Site.
News Point Nigeria gathered that the victim’s severed head was taken away by the assailant(s), leaving behind only his body at the scene of the attack.
Several students and staff members of the university, including the institution’s Chief Security Officer, Mr Agama Tangni, confirmed the incident to journalists in Jos on Tuesday.
According to Tangni, the deceased was neither a student nor a staff member of the university.
“I can confirm to you that somebody was beheaded here. He is not a student, nor is he a staff member of the university,” the Chief Security Officer said.
He explained that although the victim was not affiliated with the university, his identity was known because of his regular presence at the location where the incident occurred.
“But the identity of the deceased is known because the particular spot where he was beheaded is where he used to come for farming. He usually comes there very early in the morning,” Tangni stated.
The Chief Security Officer said preliminary indications suggested that the incident was a targeted attack, adding that the assailants appeared to have monitored the victim before carrying out the act.
“I don’t know whether the assailants have been monitoring him, but from the look of things, the attackers targeted him, beheaded him and went away with his severed head,” he said.
Tangni disclosed that the deceased’s relatives had been informed of the incident, while the body had been deposited at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital.
“The relations of the deceased are aware, and his corpse has been taken to the Bingham University Teaching Hospital,” he added.
He further stated that the university management had been briefed about the development and would communicate further with members of the university community.
“The University of Jos is already aware of the unfortunate incident, and they are going to send a memo or pass information to all the platforms of the institution,” Tangni said.
The Plateau State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
Efforts to obtain comments from the police command were unsuccessful as the spokesperson, Alabo Alfred, could not be reached for reaction, with his phone switched off.