Doctor killed and burnt in Zamfara

The Zamfara state police command says it has commenced investigation into the death of Enoch Okpara, a medical doctor, who was killed and burnt by unknown assailants.

Okpara was a consultant obstetrics/gynaecologist who worked at the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau.

The doctor was found dead at his residence in Mareri area of Gusau, the state capital, on Saturday.

Shehu Mohammed, the police public relations Officer (PPRO) of the state command, confirmed the incident to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.

He said Usman Nagogo, the Zamfara commissioner of police, has directed an investigation into the incident in order to arrest the perpetrators.

“We received the sad report of the gruesome murder of a medical doctor, Enoch Okpara on Saturday afternoon,” he said.

“Due to the terrible nature of the killing, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Usman Nagogo, ordered for immediate commencement of investigation into the matter.

“This is with a view to fish out the culprits and bringing them to book.”

Speaking on the incident, Mannir Bature, vice-chairman of the state’s chapter of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), described the deceased as a “quiet gentleman”.

He said the doctor was discovered missing when he did not show up in church on Saturday morning which was unusual of him.

Bature said the church had to contact some of Okpara’s colleagues who tried his mobile phone number which rang repeatedly without response, thereby raising the alarm that something had gone wrong.

He said when his colleagues checked the house where the deceased lived alone, as his family was not in Zamfara, his car was seen parked inside the compound and so, drew the attention of the police to check in.

According to Bature, the burnt body of the deceased was discovered in the courtyard while bloodstains were seen on the walls of the room.