By Ovie Okpare
There was pandemonium at Ukpiovwin Community in the Udu Local Government Area of Delta State following the reported killing of a man in his early 40s by members of the Vigilante group in Udu area of the state.
It was learnt that the vigilante members allegedly shot the victim to death over allegation of being a cultist. The victim died instantly.
The victim was identified as Mr Raymond Alfred Yeta.
The incident occurred about 11:30pm on Thursday night leading to serious confusion and apprehension among community residents.
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While the vigilante group claimed that the victim was a cultist, community youths at Ukpiovwin debunked the allegation, saying that the victim was unjustly killed.
Some of the community youths told WARRI TODAY that the victim was shot over a disagreement that ensued between the deceased and two members of the vigilante who merely accused him of being a cultist.
Two members of the vigilante group responsible for the killing were, however, apprehended by angry community youths.
The suspects, according to community and security sources, were thoroughly beaten to pulp by angry community youths who arrested them while fleeing the community after the dastardly act.
Our reporter further gathered that the incident was still causing raging fear as relatives and members of the community had vowed to avenge the gruesome killing of the victim by the vigilante members.
It gathered that the incident led to chaos in the community as policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ovwian/Aladja Police Station were reportedly harassed by angry community youths.
“The DPO tactically treat to save the situation on Friday morning. The police were in the community to evacuate the corpse and take the vigilante members to the station but the youths resisted them.
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“The youths complained that police will release the suspects at the station. We don’t know if the deceased was truly a member of a cult group but there was no cult clash in the community that night to warrant the killing. As we speak the youths are still angry”, a senior community leader told WARRI TODAY on Saturday.
It was further learnt that the corpse of the deceased was evacuated on Friday afternoon after the Udu Council Chairman, Chief Jite Brown, intervened in the crisis.
The two vigilante members were said to be undergoing interrogation at the Ovwian/Aladja Police Station.
When contacted, the State Police Commissioner, Mr Adeyinka Adeleke, confirmed the incident, said information available to him indicates that the deceased was a suspected cultist.
He added that his men were currently investigating the matter and would ensure that justice is served.
Udu Council Chairman, Chief Brown had on Wednesday slammed dust-to-dawn curfew on the urban part of the council over perennial cult related clashes which had resulted in the killing of many persons in the area.
