There was outrage in Onitsha, Anambra State, yesterday, following alleged killing of a driver by a vigilante member.
An eyewitness said the victim was shot around Vin Oil Filling Station area of Onitsha, along the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway, adding that the victim, whose name could not be confirmed and his killer, were both indigenes of Onitsha.
He said the victim was driving with a girl on the service lane near Vin Oil Filling Station, before the vigilante operatives, who were driving a Toyota Siena vehicle accosted them.
According to him, an argument ensued between the vigilante members and the occupants of the car and in the process, the lady with the victim fled on sighting the guns the vigilante operatives were wielding, adding that one of the operatives shot and killed the driver on the spot.
The Guardian, however, learnt that the vigilante operative had allegedly killed somebody last year and was just released from prison about three months before he was recruited into the vigilance member in Onitsha.
Another version of the incident said a driver carrying goods and a lady were driving around the Vin Oil Filling Station and were accosted by some vigilante operatives, who demanded money and the driver gave them N500, but they rejected the offer and arrested the driver.
The driver was said to have called the owner of the goods to explain that the vigilante operatives had seized his goods and that he would abandon the goods with them.
It was also learnt that when the owner of the goods arrived the scene, an argument ensued and in the process, the vigilante operative shot the driver and released several shots into the air to scare people away before he fled.
However, the gunshots attracted residents of the area and on identifying the victim as an indigene of Onitsha, angry youth in protest took his corpse to Ime Obi Onitsha, to register their displeasure against the killing.
Efforts to speak with the Police Area Commander in Onitsha, John Obuagbaka failed, as he did not take his calls before this report was filed.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Tochukwu Ikenga, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.
(The Guardian)
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