Gunmen kill vigilante in Delta over land dispute

Gunmen, yesterday, allegedly killed a member of Ogwashi-Uku vigilante group, Mr. Chukwunwike Alawo, and left others seriously injured over a land dispute.

It was gathered that the gunmen arrived Aboh-Ogwashi community about 10:00 a.m. and engaged the villagers in a gun duel, resulting in the death of one of them.The Okwabani of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, Jude Obidi, who confirmed the incident, said: “This Monday morning, I got a call from the head of the vigilante/chairman of land recovery that people came with a bulldozer into the bush and the moment they saw them, they ran away.”

He said they abandoned a bag containing guns, which he asked them to take to the police station but on their way to the police station, the hoodlums re-enforced and came with three vehicles, shooting indiscriminately.

“Another call I received again from them, was that the people have shot Chukwunwike dead, immediately I alerted the DPO and they removed the body.

The head of the vigilante, Nnamdi Nwaebonnor, and many others were injured and currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.”

Obidi said the land was still under litigation, noting that the Ogwashi-Uku monarch, Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo, had vowed to pursue the matter to a logical conclusion.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, who confirmed the killing, said the police had identified the leader of the gunmen.

He said: “The information at my disposal was that hoodlums attacked vigilante groups, killed one, and injured another. The person that led the group to attack the vigilante was a Ekene Bright Ugbaja and he’s on the run.”