Members of the Ovwor vigilante in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State have been alleged to have killed an innocent civilian and dumped his remains at a river close to Effurn-Otor in the same council area.
This is according to sources at the Police attached to Ughelli Area Command, who arrested the suspects and transferred them to the Police Command Headquarters in Asaba, where they were later released.
It was learnt that the vigilante team had tried to stop the deceased and his friend on their tracks in the wee hours of the night, about two weeks ago, and their refusal to obey their order later led the Vigilante team to give them a hot chase during which it shot the deceased while the friend escaped alive.
A source in the community disclosed that after gunning down the deceased, his remains were allegedly dumped by the river close to Effurun-Otor by the vigilante members.
According to the source, who pleaded anonymity, a few days after the incident, relatives of the deceased went in search of him and his friend who escaped. It was after finding the friend who had been in hiding for fear that the vigilante men might come after him, that what transpired that night came to light.
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The source said after the friend narrated to the deceased relatives, they later incidented the matter at Ughelli Area Command, which took action immediately by inviting the vigilante team.
The vigilante members were invited, and after inquiries, they were detained for a week before they were released after intervention from some leaders of the Ovwor community.
Among those arrested is one Mr. Umolo, who is the chairman of the vigilante and others whose names could not be ascertained as at the time of this report.
When contacted via the telephone, the vigilante leader, Umolo denied the allegations, saying “nothing of such happened”.
The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Edafe Bright could not be reached but a senior security source confirmed the incident. Hesaid that the arrested vigilante members were taken to Asaba for investigations
However, a security source who pleaded anonymity disclosed that, “They were taken to Asaba and their release was facilitated from there.”
